Business

FOBAS: Contaminated Fuels from ARA (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp) Region – An Update

FOBAS has seen a similar contamination case from Ulsan, Korea and a recent case with lower levels of the same contaminants of bunker fuel from Singapore.

Published

4 years ago

August 5, 2022

Admin

Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) on Thursday (4 August) released a bulletin that it has seen samples of fuels similar to the recent contamination of marine bunkers in the ARA region, in Korea and Singapore.

Further to our previous bulletin issued detailing contaminated fuels found in the ARA area, we have seen further similar cases which suggests this contamination of marine bunkers in the ARA (mainly in Rotterdam and Amsterdam) region is an ongoing issue. Since our last bulletin, we have also seen a similar contamination case from Ulsan, Korea and a recent case with lower levels of the same contaminants from Singapore.

Detailed analysis on these fuels has shown a range of compounds, more specifically, high levels of phenolic compounds.

The compounds with highest concentrations are Cardanol (also referred to as Ginkgol and other chemical names) and Cardol which are not normally seen in marine fuels. The concentration of these extraneous components ranged from 20,000 to in excess of 140,000 ppm. We do find that phenol related compounds are often linked with fuel pump wear and damage. The exact mechanism may vary, but in general it may be that these chemicals interfere with the usual fuel lubrication of the fuel pump. In the case of the recent fuels tested where Cardanol alone was at >100,000ppm concentration (>10% total fuel), we would expect this to affect the fuel behaviour considerably.

These fuels were also found to have been blended with Estonian shale oils. Although use of shale oil as a blend component is allowed under ISO 8217 specifications, Estonian shale oils have a tendency to fall apart during purification, which leads to sludging issues during purification.

Further investigation continues in order to identify the exact source and intention of these chemicals.

However, regardless of the source or intention for these chemicals in the fuel, the concern is that some of the vessels using these fuels are reporting operational problems, particularly involving fuel pump wear and damage.

We will continue to investigate these current cases and share any further conclusions regarding the analysis results and operational feedback.

For all vessels bunkering particularly in the ARA region, we would recommend to clarify with the supplier regarding the blend composition of the fuel and a confirmation that the fuel meets the specification of general requirement details in ISO 8217 clause 5 and stipulations of MARPOL Annex VI clause 18.3. As always, the supplier also has a responsibility to ensure no chemical waste/contamination enters the fuel.

FOBAS is proactively alerting our client’s where suspected contaminated fuels are bunkered to run further detailed tests to determine the composition of the fuels.

Photo credit: Hans Reniers
Published: 5 August, 2022

Winding up

Singapore: Notice of intended dividend issued for Xihe Holdings’ subsidiaries

Creditors will need to produce proofs of debt to liquidators of Da Xin Tankers and Nan Chiau Maritime by 5 August, according to Government Gazette notice.

Published

30 minutes ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

Two notices to declare the intended dividend of Xihe Holdings’ subsidiaries to their creditors have been posted on the Government Gazette on Wednesday (22 July).

The subsidiaries are Da Xin Tankers Pte Ltd and Nan Chiau Maritime Pte Ltd.

The following are the details of the notices of intended dividend:

Name of Company : Da Xin Tankers (Pte) Ltd (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No. : 198400895W
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 5 August 2026 at 5:00 pm by email to [email protected]
Name of Liquidators : Paresh Tribhovan Jotangia and Ho May Kee
Address : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960

Name of Company : Nan Chiau Maritime (Pte.) Ltd. (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No.: 200814296Z
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 5 August 2026 at 5:00 pm by email to [email protected]
Name of Liquidators : Paresh Tribhovan Jotangia and Ho May Kee
Address : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960

Photo credit: steve pb from Pixabay
Published: 23 July, 2026

Biofuel

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

Company says it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply.

Published

32 minutes ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

South Korean petroleum and refining company S-Oil on Wednesday (22 July) said it has started supplying B30 very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), as the company seeks to support shipping’s decarbonisation efforts and growing demand for lower-carbon bunker fuels.

The company said its B30 VLSFO contains 30% sustainable biofuel blended with conventional VLSFO and can be used without requiring modifications to existing vessels, enabling shipowners to comply more readily with emissions regulations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU).

S-Oil said it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply. The system combines VLSFO produced at its Onsan refinery with biofuel production facilities and storage infrastructure in the Ulsan region, allowing the entire process to be carried out within a single logistics hub.

According to the company, the integrated supply chain reduces transportation requirements during production while improving supply efficiency and reliability.

S-Oil also highlighted Ulsan Port as a strategic location for marine biofuel supply, noting the port has strong demand for bio-bunker fuels, particularly from car carriers, enabling prompt and stable deliveries to key customers.

An S-Oil official stated: “In the bio-marine fuel market, not only product quality but also securing a stable supply of raw materials and an efficient supply system are important competitive advantages.

“Based on our existing bunkering business capabilities and the excellent supply infrastructure in the Onsan area, we plan to supply stable and competitive low-carbon fuel.”

Photo credit: S-Oil
Published: 23 July, 2026

Decarbonisation

Yang Ming and PSA to develop integrated sea-land decarbonisation solutions

Both will explore solutions spanning emissions measurement and verification, a digital Book-and-Claim framework, and a joint maritime-land inset token package.

Published

34 minutes ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

Yang Ming and PSA to develop integrated sea-land decarbonisation solutions

PSA International (PSA) on Monday (20 July) said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) to jointly accelerate the adoption of low-carbon solutions across the maritime value chain.

Beyond emissions measurement and verification, the collaboration will focus on a digital Book-and-Claim framework and a joint maritime-land based inset token package.

“This synergy provides cargo stakeholders with a transparent and accountable sea-land pathway to achieve their decarbonisation targets,” PSA said on its website.

Yang Ming launched the green transport service, EcoSea+. This initiative integrates Yang Ming’s low-carbon navigation capabilities to empower customers with a flexible and transparent strategy to effectively reduce their Scope 3 transportation emissions. By joining forces with PSA, Yang Ming is able to expand the impact of these sustainability actions beyond the ocean.

Building on its position as a global port operator, PSA advances its Node to Network strategy through integrated port and supply chain capabilities that enable a green network of terminal and landside operations to reduce end-to-end supply chain emissions.

The agreement was officially signed by Mr Ivan Chiang, Chief Logistics Officer & Senior Vice President of Yang Ming, and Mr Eddy Ng, Group Head of Operations, Technology and Sustainability of PSA International.

Mr Ong Kim Pong, PSA International Group CEO, said, “As responsible stewards of tomorrow, PSA is committed to delivering sustainable impact across the global port and supply chain ecosystem.

“Tackling the challenges arising from climate change will require the collective efforts of all players in the maritime supply chain sector. We are excited to partner Yang Ming on the decarbonisation of global supply chains and support the transition towards a more sustainable global economy.”

Photo credit: PSA International
Published: 23 July, 2026