03 June 2021
Ship operators came away from our recent webinar Bringing Clarity to Marine Fuel Stability with solutions to their concerns around the shelf life of very low sulphur fuel oils (VLSFO).
Just under 400 global attendees dialled in to benefit from the expertise of Marine Fuel Additive Business Development Manager Rob Ashton, who hosted the webinar in April.
Since the introduction of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 sulphur cuts, the fuel quality concerns associated with VLSFO that were anticipated were largely unfounded. However, reports of stability issues over the fuels’ shelf life, mean it’s important to protect fuel quality over extended periods to minimise operational problems including sedimentation and fuel wastage.
Nearly one third of the audience said they had experienced more than four VLSFO sedimentation issues in the last six months.
Rob explained how Infineum has investigated various tests to assess the suitability of a VLSFO over its lifetime, from a stability and compatibility perspective, as well as the benefit that Infineum additives can offer to ensure ship owners receive the most complete protection.
“We believe the combination of Total Sediment Potential and Alfa Laval Spin tests coupled with Infineum asphaltene management additives offers the most complete protection for ship operators,” said Rob.
As well as operability benefits, there are also financial and environmental wins. Reducing waste sludge/sediment drop out from the fuel, effectively contributes to improved fuel economy, as well as reducing the significant costs associated with waste fuel sludge management at port.
You can register to receive free access to the webinar recording here and Infineum Insight has shared an article which includes technical details on Rob's findings. Alternatively a summary of Rob’s insights has been featured in this Manifold Times article.
Back to top