The issue of marine fuel contamination and its negative effects on vessel operations, together with its detection and avoidance, is among the biggest concerns of all ship owning and operating firms today. Manifold Times recently published Bryan Quek Sze Wei’s opinion regarding this issue in an article.
Here’s an excerpt from it.
Bryan Quek Sze Wei, who has worked in laboratories for more than 10 years, is today the Bunker Business Unit Manager of Eurofins Singapore.
Origin remains in dark
Though widely reported, the exact origin and scale of contaminated bunker fuel remains largely unknown.
The closest were suspicions of the first source of contamination originating from the U.S. Gulf coast region in early 2018.
What is GC-MS?
Nevertheless, 2018 was the year Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), a process used to detect and identify different substances within a test sample, arguably took the main stage.
To date, GC-MS is by far the most reliable method of detecting and measuring chemical compounds at minute levels in marine fuel.
Use of GC-MS, together with the standard test method ASTM D7845 and its modified extension methods, are able to reveal the presence of the below, which could pose a threat to marine ship engines:
- fatty acids (carboxylic acids),
- phenolics and
- chlorinated containing compounds.
Some of the contaminated fuels are difficult to detect because they pass industry standards but contain compounds that are not usually tested for.
GC-MS equipped labs
Eurofins Mechem continues to be among the few laboratories equipped with GC-MS equipment, and the only accredited laboratory for method ASTM D7845 currently in Singapore.
Testing time
The definitive results of GC-MS testing are produced with a turnaround time of between 6 to 12 hours from the time samples reach one of the internationally accredited laboratories.
The short turnaround time has further allowed developing the Eurofins Pre-Bunker Report service to ensure the fuel quality designated for a specific vessel is confirmed and known prior to bunkering.
Pre-bunker analysis
A pre-bunker analysis simply involves the collection of representative samples from the bunker tanker’s cargo tanks, with tests completed before delivery.
This allows stakeholders (the bunker supplier, ship owner or operator) to make an informed decision whether or not to accept fuel cargo before they are supplied.
The total time taken for the Eurofins Pre-Bunker Report service is a maximum of 12 hours for receiving a full evaluation, regardless of what tests or assessments of fuel quality conducted on the sample.
Reporting of fuel testing results
A clear and concise reporting of fuel testing results, summarised as “GO” or “NO GO” for bunkering to take place, is presented at the end of results, simplifying and reducing the risk of costly engine damage and resource intensive de-bunkering operations.
Industry players are expecting exposure to fuel contamination to only increase post IMO 2020, when the increased usage and blending of new fuels take place.
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Source: Manifold Times
