The early results for 2015 show that there has been a marked improvement in bunker fuel quality, the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) said.
According to the data gathered by Intertek ShipCare, 8% of samples tested in 2015 reported off-spec, compared with 10% in 2014.
”Test figures for 2014 also showed a significant change in purchasing patterns of the types of products, with a steady increase in the number of distillate fuels being tested. The number of distillate samples being submitted for testing rose by 15% in 2014 compared to the figures for 2013,” IBIA Chairman Jens Maul Jorgensen said.
The IBIA chairman noted that the drop in oil price has meant that there is now less incentive for refiners to blend down their products and that there has been an increase in suppliers using the ISO2010 & 2012 specs.
Tested samples which were found to be off-spec reached an all time high in 2013 with one quarter not reaching the required standards.
Image: OBS