Fuels & Lubes

The shipments of contaminated bunker fuel have made their way to several bunker ports in different countries. The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko) and shippers worldwide have called for a stricter quality control.

No reports of the dirty bunker fuel entering the Philippine ports till date. Still, the news caused alarm and concern among local shippers says an article in Manilatimes.

The first report came from the U.S. Gulf Coast, with...

http://mfame.guru/dangers-of-contaminated-fuel/

• As shipowners gear up for the switch to cleaner fuels, LSMGO gets its demand
• Overall bunker demand was slower owing to a year end buying lull .
• Some owners are testing their engines using gasoil to prepare for IMO 2020.
• Sellers report a 50%-70% increase in inquiries for distillates with sales a record high of 1.29 million mt.

Singapore low sulfur marine gasoil demand strengthens despite seasonal lull, traders say reports Platts.

Despite the seasonal year-end lull, demand for low...

http://mfame.guru/lsmgo-demand-rises-in-singapore/

• As shippers start exploring low sulfur fuels, the gasoline market faces a difficult situation.
• Vacuum Gasoil will be diverted to make ship fuels, thereby hitting the gasoline processing.
• VGO competition will increase, as more and more refiners makes technical changes to manufacture ship fuel.
• The market will be volatile as the refiners struggle to strike a balance

As merchant ships gear up to explore  gasoline as a fuel, an unlikely competition  brews in the gasoline market. Drivers will now...

http://mfame.guru/components-of-gasoline-production-to-make-shipping-fuels/

• GoodFuels has launched World’s first zero emission biofuel for trial and tested onboard a tanker vessel during its commercial operation
• The company claims to deliver near-zero emissions without any need for engine modifications
• IMO keen to introduce the marine biofuel to reduce greenhouse gases

The World’s first zero emission drop-in marine biofuel has been launched for trial and the results are being assessed for further analysis.

According to a...

http://mfame.guru/worlds-first-zero-emission-marine-biofuel-trialled/

The 2020 International Maritime Organization 0.5% marine fuel sulfur cap changes are starting to shine a spotlight on the feedstocks market, with vacuum gas-oil (VGO) expected to be a major blending product in the creation of compliant bunker fuel in time.

A source said, “The cut in sulfur value in bunker fuel from 3.5% will massively increase the value of a whole range of blend components, including VGO and low sulfur straight run.
Low sulfur VGO has a sulfur content of...

http://mfame.guru/sulfur-cap-vacuum-gas-oil-blending-may-rise-vgo-demand/

“Tougher global marine fuel requirements could shift refinery crude buying back to quality concerns instead of logistical advantages”, Par Petroleum chief executive Joseph Israel reportedly told Argus Media.

Improving pipeline logistics and years of demand destruction for higher-sulfur products tied to International Maritime Organization requirements that begin in 2020 would restore quality concerns, he told the ArgusFuel Oil Summit in Miami, Florida.

“As sulfur...

http://mfame.guru/marine-fuel-limits-to-renew-quality-premiums-par/

A Platts report by Su Ling Teo says that the Chinese oil giant Sinopec is currently in talks with end-users to supply low sulfur bunker fuel compliant with IMO 2020 standards at domestic ports.

The first commercial supply is expected to start from its coastal refineries from August 2019, a source familiar with the matter said Monday.

Pricing details are expected to be finalized in August next year, the source said, adding that specifications of the low sulfur fuel oil have not...

http://mfame.guru/china-to-supply-lsfo-bunker-from-aug-2019/

An epidemic of ships experiencing fuel-related problems with seemingly on-spec fuels this year, starting in the US Gulf, has led to feverish speculation about the root causes with many predicting that this is a precursor for worse to come in 2020. Something is afoot, but facts are hard to pin down and we must be careful about jumping to conclusions, says IBIA’s Unni Einemo.

Have you ever observed dogs chasing squirrels? In the excitement, as squirrels flee to safety up a tree, but then proceed...

http://mfame.guru/contaminated-bunkers-barking-up-the-wrong-tree/