- Open : 9am - 5pm (Mon - Sat)
- Unit 8, South Staffs Terminal, Lynn Lane, Shenstone, Staffs, WS14 OED
The term “bunker fuel” has its origin linked to the time when coal was used as ship engine fuel and used to be stored in storage areas called “bunkers” or “coal bunkers”.
Now, coal is not used as a fuel, and the ships have replaced the coal bunkers, but the fuel used in the ships is still known as bunker fuel. It is not the name of a specific fuel itself but is an umbrella term and includes different types of fuel oils. The fuel oils can be broadly classified into two categories:
Distillate fuel oils are those that are made using traditional methods of distillation. They are light fuel oil. DMA, DMB fuels, ISO-F- DMX, and DMZ, are some examples of distillate fuel oils included in ISO 8217:2017.
It’s the residue oil left after the distillation of lighter oil components during the refining of crude oil, which makes them a cheaper option. They are more viscous and have higher chances of being contaminated. It has different types based on the levels of viscosity; however, its most common type is ISO-F-RMG380.
Bunker fuel is the backbone of the marine industry. Without it, 90% of the world’s trade done across the oceans will be disturbed! Following are some of the characteristics of bunker Fuel:
As explained above, bunker fuel is the broader or generic term for fuel oil. It has different types:
Due to this alarming situation, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has introduced new regulations to ban ships using fuel with more than 0.5% sulphur content. Before these regulations, the limit of 3.5% sulphur current was permissible. It will ultimately cause the waterborne vessels to switch to MGO from HFO.
MGO is lower sulphate distillate fuel, which makes it the perfect fuel to meet the regulation guidelines set by IMO. According to an estimate given by SEB Bank of Norway, the daily consumption of 4 million barrels of HFO will be cut off to 1 million barrels overnight due to an abrupt shift to lower sulphur fuels.
Similar to other things, there are certain specifications for bunker fuel that must be met. These specifications are set by the International Organisation for Standardisation to ensure the safe applicability of marine fuel. These regulations are known as “ISO 8217”. Its latest version is known as ISO 8217:2017.
It specifies the criteria for marine distillate and marine residual oils and the tests that should be run to determine whether the fuel meets the set specifications or not. Some of the examples include:
Currently, Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) is being used predominantly by large commercial ocean-going vessels/ships. However, it is claimed to be highly toxic, causing respiratory issues. It is a constituent of acid rain that is dangerous for wildlife, infrastructure, vegetation and the overall environment.
Such adverse effects have led to a changed sulphur content limit in the bunker fuel as prescribed by IMO. Keep reading to learn the details about new regulations.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has introduced new regulations to ban ships using fuel with more than 0.5% sulphur content. Before these regulations, the limit of 3.5% sulphur current was permissible. It will ultimately cause the waterborne vessels to switch to MGO from HFO.
According to an estimate given by SEB Bank of Norway, the daily consumption of 4 million barrels of HFO will be cut off to 1 million barrels overnight due to an abrupt shift to lower sulphur fuels, such as MGO. It is lower sulphate distillate fuel, which makes it the perfect fuel to meet the regulation guidelines set by IMO.
However, such an abrupt switch to MGO from HFO has led to a build a popular narrative that these regulations will pose a threat to the sale of HFO.
Moreover, there is another side to it. According to an archived article, this is not the end of HFO, as there is an alternative option of using HFO by installing “scrubbers” in ships. Scrubbers allow a significant reduction of sulphur emission, enabling the shipowners to use HFO, which is a cheaper marine fuel option.
For recreational boats or private yachts with rear-mounted impeller engines, the use of regular diesel that you use for your cars or heavy vehicles is permissible. Alternatively, you also get the option to use rebated gas oil, commonly known as red diesel.
The use of red diesel is permissible by the UK government for recreational boats to use within the waters of the UK; however, you are bound to pay the full tax rate.
Boaters are also required to clear the percentage of fuel to be used for propulsion to HMRC. However, if you are travelling outside the waters of the UK, then you might be subjected to restrictions or other rules formulated by the government of the respective country.
If you are someone who travels in water frequently, then you need to connect with a reliable company like Network Environmental UK. From fuel contamination, waste oil collection, fuel polishing, and tank inspection services to fuel oil testing service, we do it all for you, ensuring that everything complies with legal specifications!
We take pride in holding industry-recognised accreditations. These certifications demonstrate our commitment to quality and compliance, and provide our clients with peace of mind knowing that they are working with a reputable and trustworthy partner.