Testing Bunker fuel – Marine fuel to ensures optimum engine performance
Ships run due to Bunker fuel or Marine fuel. Testing of marine bunker fuel not only helps vessel owners meet regulatory compliance with respect to marine bunker fuel but ascertaining its quality by thoroughly testing is of crucial importance for global shipping. The impact of contaminated bunker fuel would jeopardise the ship’s safety, cause environmental issues and ship’s performance would also reduce. Hence Bunker fuel analysis helps prevent expensive engine failure, downtime and costly repair. ATLAS tests bunker fuel to ensure if it conforms with respect to the Bunker fuel quality in accordance with ISO 8217, Marpol Annex VI. On thoroughly testing and analysing the Marine Bunker Fuel ATLAS provides precise information and advice which helps in managing fuel related quality issues and the associated risks across your vessel fleet.
Why is testing of Bunker Fuel important ?
All Oil companies, Offshore companies, Vessel Owners, Shipping Companies, Refineries, Ships, Vessels, Barges, Oil Platforms, Container vessels, Passenger Ships, run due to Bunker fuel or Marine fuel. Testing of marine bunker fuel not only helps vessel owners meet regulatory compliance with respect to marine bunker fuel but ascertaining its quality by thoroughly testing is of crucial importance for global shipping. The impact of contaminated bunker fuel would jeopardise the ship’s safety, cause environmental issues and ship’s performance would also reduce. Hence Bunker fuel analysis helps prevent expensive engine failure, downtime and costly repair. ATLAS LAB tests bunker fuel to ensure if it conforms with respect to the Bunker fuel quality in accordance with ISO 8217, Marpol Annex VI, IMO guidelines, SOX Emission Control Areas (ECA), Port State Control requirements. On thoroughly testing and analysing the Marine Bunker Fuel ATLAS LAB provides precise information and advice which helps in managing fuel related quality issues and the associated risks across your vessel fleet.
While most people talk about machinery problems related to inferior quality of the fuel, there is a much more important factor, the safety of human lives.
As most bunker fuels are a secondary fuel or residual fuel which is a leftover fuel or a by product during the refining process its quality has to be tested and monitored for its quality.
The new era of Bunker Fuels with reduction of Sulfur from 3.5 % to less than 0.5 % as per the introduction and guidelines of IMO 2020, new marine fuels are produced which were not there formally. These fuels are from blends of different cutter stock due to increased usage and blending of new fuels and therefore their quality varies to a large extent.
Problems also occur in Distillate Fuels, mainly high cold filter plugging point (CFPP) / pour point / cloud point, high total acid number causing acidic wear to the machinery, bacterial contamination causing filter plugging, low lubricity causing heating of machine parts.
Benefits of ATLAS LAB’s Bunker Fuel Analysis :
- To determine the Bunker Fuel’s quality as per ISO 8217 and MARPOL ANNEX VI
- Confirm if it meets the desired specification
- Red flag quality issues and alert the client with respect to fuel related problems
- Guide the client to on board fuel management, engine performance, fuel consumption
- Identify fuel pump failures
- Identify smoking and anti-knocking issues
- Monitor emissions due to Sulfur and NOx emissions
- Monitor machinery breakdown due to high catfines and asphaltene
- Monitor sludge formation due to sediments, silicates, high water content and bacterial contamination
Hence – ATLAS LAB – provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art Bunker Fuel Testing Services. The objective is two-fold, to spot any potential problems before the bunker is supplied to the vessel; and to red flag issues which will or may cause machinery problems.
By using ATLAS LAB to routinely check the physical and chemical characteristics and test the condition of your Bunker Fuels and Marine Oils, you receive valuable a comprehensive report on the condition of the Bunker Fuel and the operating health of their machinery. We develop individual testing programs to meet your needs and ensure sample collection, shipping, testing and reporting is quick, efficient and cost-effective.
We can provide you sample bottles, labels and outer boxes which are inexpensive easy-to-use kits. Tests can then be sent to our labs, with routine turnaround within 12 to 24 hours of receipt of the sample. We make our customer happy with our efficient and cost-effective oil analysis services.
HOW YOU WILL AVAIL OF THIS BUNKER FUEL AND MARINE FUEL OIL TESTING PROCESS
- You can directly send your bunker fuels to us or ask for our bunker fuel sampling kits
- Collect the samples
- Courier the samples
- On receiving the samples in our laboratory, we will commence testing. Results will be provided in 12 to 24 hours
- Technical advice will be provided on testing the samples and assessment of Test Report
ATLAS LAB undertakes the analysis and testing of Petroleum, Bunker Fuels, Diesel, IFO Fuels of all grades as per international testing methods like ISO, ASTM and IS Specifications. All types of fuels – Distillate, Intermediate and Residual are tested in our laboratory.
| FUEL TYPE | FUEL GRADES | COMMON INDUSTRY NAME |
|---|---|---|
| Distillate |
DMX (Special Light distillate) DMA (Marine Gas Oil, MGO) DFA (Marine Gas Oil, MGO with 7 % FAME allowance) DMZ (Equivalent to DMA except for viscosity) DMB (Marine Diesel Oil, MDO) DMC (Residual fuel Blend) DMZ (Equivalent to DMA except for viscosity) DFB (DMB or MDO with 7 % FAME allowance) |
Gas Oil or Marine Gas Oil or Marine Diesel Oil |
| Intermediate | IFO 180 380 | Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO) |
| Residual | RMA, RMB, RMD, RME, RMF, RMG, RMK | Residual Fuel Oil |
| ULSFO | Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil | |
| VLSFO | Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil |
| DMX |
Is a special light distillate intended mainly for use in emergency engines. It is not applicable for use in 2-stroke engines because of its low flash point and viscosity. |
| DMA | Also called as Marine Gas Oil - MGO. |
| DFA |
The sixth edition introduces DF (Distillate FAME) grades DFA, DFZ and DFB which allow up to 7% fatty acid methyl ester(s) (FAME) content. by volume. Other than the 7% FAME allowance, these grades are identical to DMA, DMZ and DMB grades for all other parameters. |
| DMZ | which has a higher minimum viscosity than DMA but is otherwise identical in its characteristics to DMA marine gasoil. |
| DFZ | The sixth edition introduces DF (Distillate FAME) grades DFA, DFZ and DFB which allow up to 7% fatty acid methyl ester(s) (FAME) content. |
| DMB | Also called as Marine Diesel Oil - MDO. |
| DFB | This is DMB or MDO with a maximum allowance up to 7% fatty acid methyl ester(s) (FAME) content. |
The following fuels are tested by us :The following fuels are tested by us :
| Diesel HF-HSD / LS-HSD | MGO | ASTM D945 | ISO 8217 | IS: 1460-2005 IS: 11489-1985 |
| Intermediate Fuel Oil | IFO / IFS | ASTM D396 | ISO 8217 | IS:1593-1982 |
| Heavy Fuel Oil | HFO | ASTM D396 | ISO 8217 | IS:1593-1982 |
| Marine Residual Fuel | MRF | ASTM D2069 | ISO 8217 | IS:1593-1982 |
| Furnace Oil | FO (MV2 GRADE) | ASTM D396 | ISO 8217 | IS:1593-1982 |