- The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore has issued a circular announcing enhanced testing parameters for marine fuel batches delivered as bunkers in the port.
- These measures, prompted by the 2022 bunker contamination incident, aim to strengthen quality assurance in the supply chain.
- Effective from June 1, 2024, the mandatory testing enhancements focus on Chlorinated Organic Compounds (COC) levels, inorganic acids, and polymers in residual, bio-residual, distillate, and bio-distillate bunker marine fuels.
Testing Enhancements Implementation
The MPA’s circular outlines the industry-driven testing enhancements to be conducted upstream in the supply chain. Arising from the 2022 contamination incident, these measures include testing for COC levels, inorganic acids, and the presence of specific polymers in different categories of bunker marine fuels. The enhancements aim to prevent a recurrence of the contamination issue and ensure the quality of marine fuels supplied in the port.
Mandatory Parameters for Residual and Bio-Residual Bunker Marine Fuels
Starting June 1, 2024, bunker suppliers must adhere to stringent parameters for residual and bio-residual bunker marine fuels. This includes ensuring COC levels do not exceed 50mg/kg, conducting testing using accredited methods, and reporting results in the Certificate of Quality (COQ) provided to receiving vessels. Additionally, inorganic acids must be tested for, and both Total Acid Number (TAN) and Strong Acid Number (SAN) should be reported in the COQ.
Requirements for Distillate and Bio-Distillate Bunker Marine Fuels
The circular mandates that bunker suppliers must ensure distillate and bio-distillate bunker marine fuels are free from inorganic acids. Testing for inorganic acids using specified methods and reporting SAN (in addition to TAN) in the COQ are required. Furthermore, residual marine fuels must be free from specific polymers, with recommended testing methods to qualitatively determine their absence. Licensed bunker suppliers are urged to maintain proper test records for compliance.
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Source: Safety4sea
