Marine Fuels and Oils

Meeting government regulations, minimizing operational costs and maximizing profits are all key aspects of the fuel industries of today. As a result of MARPOL Annex VI, SECAs (SOx Emission Control Areas) have been put in place in Baltic and North Sea. In an effort to reduce pollution in ports and coastal waters, regions around the world are also beginning to limit the maximum allowable sulfur levels in marine bunker fuels.

Avoiding engine failure at sea is also of great importance. By monitoring cat fines in marine fuel and metals present in engine oil, engine failure can be avoided, lowering costs and ensuring a high degree of safety.

The residual fuel oil remaining after distillation of crude oil is mainly used as fuel for the larger two stroke engines. The main applications for these large two stroke engines are marine vessels, and to a lesser extent power plants, therefore the residual fuel oil is also known as marine or bunker fuel. The consumption of bunker fuel for a larger container ship can be up to 200 tons/day. The buying and selling of marine fuels has to be according to marine fuel specifications, which includes elemental composition, especially sulfur. Thus, cost justification for monitoring marine fuels and oils is gained in meeting regulatory requirements and maximizing engine performance.