Sulfur levels rising in Singapore’s high sulfur fuel oil bunker samples
Time：2014-08-19
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From April to July, the percentage of samples exceeding the International Maritime Organization-mandated cap of 3.5% went from slightly above 0% to almost 14%, the data showed.
In July 2013, the proportion was only slightly above 0% as well.
On the global scale, the average of samples tested that exceeds the global cap limit has stayed below the 2% mark.
In Fujairah, around 2% of samples tested had exceeded the 3.5% sulfur limit in July this year. This compared to 2013, when samples exceeding the limit were above 10%.
Singapore is the biggest bunkering port in the world in terms of volume, with 42.7 million mt sold in 2013, while Fujairah is the second biggest with an official volume of around 24 million mt.
ALUMINUM & SILICON LEVELS
In terms of aluminum and silicon levels in HSFO bunker fuel, the global average has held around 30 mg/kg from 2013 to this year, VPS data showed.
ISO 8217:2010/2012 parameters have a maximum of 60 mg/kg, while the 2005 parameters have a limit of 80 mg/kg.
The average density for these test samples was around 992 kg/cubic meter.
ISO parameters for RMG grades of bunker fuel are at a maximum of 991 kg/cu m. While aluminum and silicon averages are well within recommended parameters, this combined with a higher density level could result in engine damage, depending on the type of density separator, said an industry source.
Conventional density separators might have problems as their capabilities have a limit of 991 kg/cu m, while high density separators will not have a problem, the source added.
Low sulfur fuel oil grades have shown an increase of aluminum and silicon from an average of 49 mg/kg in 2013 to 57 mg/kg this year to date, from January to July.