World Bunkering > News > Spring 2011 > A risk management fundamental

DNV Petroleum Services (DNVPS) marked the 30th anniversary of its launch as a marine residual fuel testing service in January. Its ceo, Tore Morten Wetterhus, used the occasion to stress the importance of testing.

He said: “Fuel quality testing is a risk management fundamental, alerting the shipoperator to potential engine damage that can be caused by consuming bad fuel delivered to the vessel.” According to the company, the DNV Fuel Quality Testing (FQT) programme is the biggest service of its kind in the shipping industry, with a cumulative volume of over 1.4 million tested fuel samples. It adds that when DNV Petroleum Services (DNVPS) launched its marine residual fuel testing service on 1 Jan, 1981, shipoperators for the first time were able to scientifically analyse the quality of fuel supplied to their vessels.

Prior to that, the company says, shipoperators were unable to comprehensively predetermine the quality of bunkers to be consumed by their vessels. It notes that this became a serious constraint during the oil crisis in the 1970s when the increased application of ‘deep conversion’, high-yield refining techniques caused residual fuel quality to deteriorate considerably.

In turn, the shipping community saw a drastic increase in damages to fuel pumps, piston rings, cylinder liners and other costly engine parts on board their vessels. Mr Wetterhus said: “The DNV FQT programme was therefore a significant breakthrough, as shipoperators enrolled in the programme could then detect poor quality bunkers delivered to their vessels and take appropriate actions.”

DNVPS went on to develop and disclose its proprietary test method for determining fuel metals content, including the highly abrasive aluminium and silicon compounds commonly found in heavy residual fuel. This test method became the basis for the IP377 procedure adopted by both ASTM and ISO.

Bunker regulations have emerged as a key driver of change in recent years. “Regulations such as IMO Marpol Annex VI, SOLAS and the EU Directive 2005/33/EC are making a huge impact in the value chain – from fuel production to bunkering to shipoperation. DNVPS helps shipoperators manage the resulting challenges with our expert advice, training initiatives, and direct intervention through our participation in industry working committees,” Mr Wetterhus said.

He said the test data is also useful for various aspects of fuel performance benchmarking and improvement.