Business

Gard members and clients find chlorinated hydrocarbons in Singapore bunkers

Affected vessels reporting operational problems that may be caused by contaminated bunkers, mostly HSFO, stemmed in Singapore in Q1 2022.

Published

4 years ago

April 1, 2022

Admin

Maritime Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Club Gard on Wednesday (30 March) issued an alert indicating members and clients reporting operational problems that may be caused by contaminated bunkers, mostly HSFO, stemmed in Singapore in the first quarter of 2022:

We refer to Veritas Petroleum Services’ (VPS) Alert No. 05/2022 dated 11 March 2022 reporting that high levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons have been noted in fuel samples of HSFO deliveries from Singapore. While the deliveries were made by different suppliers during this time, the ISO 8217, Table 2 test requirements were met. The presence of contaminants was found during enhanced testing – GC-MS (Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometer), which revealed chlorinated hydrocarbons and organic chlorides. Gard Members can access the VPS Alert here.

VPS advises that the consequences of such contamination include worn out fuel pumps, fuel valve problems and subsequently the main or auxiliary engines failing to start. Gard insured vessels have experienced operational issues that may be related to contaminated stems including blackouts, loss of propulsion, high exhaust temperature deviation and excessive sludging in the fuel system. In some cases, the vessels even required a tow to port. The long terms effect of these contaminants on the machinery, if any, are not yet known.

Subsequent to the VPS alert, Gard also contacted other industry organizations to ascertain if they have had similar experiences. We have not received feedback at the time of drafting this alert although we have been made aware that a number of testing laboratories have published client alerts on this issue that corroborate the VPS findings. We would like to mention that these findings do not reflect the overall quality of bunkers supplied in Singapore.

Given that Gard has experienced a few severe cases of main engine breakdown, we would reiterate some of the recommendations in the VPS alert as well as Gard’s previous advice on additional testing mentioned in our Insight “Contaminated bunker issue continues to spread” which related to the spate of contaminated bunkers originating in Houston in 2018 and 2019.

Key recommendations

Ship’s crew on vessels that have recently stemmed HSFO bunkers in Singapore should be aware of the possible presence of chlorinated hydrocarbons and the potential effects on the vessel operation. Before using the fuel, owners, operators and charterers may consider seeking assurances from the supplier that the fuel has been tested for chlorinated hydrocarbons and request documentation of the results. At this time, the affected fuel seems to be limited to HFSO, that is, fuel that is intended for consumption by vessels fitted with scrubbers in order to comply with MARPOL sulphur emission standards. This alert does not apply to distillates.
Owners and managers should consider arranging for testing of samples taken before and after the fuel treatment plant to gauge the fuel oil quality at the engine inlet. This will indicate whether the purification system is functioning optimally. It could give early indications of increased engine wear-and-tear and will assist in resolving fuel quality disputes.
On testing requirements for manifold delivery samples, owners and managers can consider ordering investigative analysis, beyond what is required as per Table 2 of ISO 8217, especially when the vessel is experiencing operational issues. Advanced tests such as GC-MS may help to identify contaminants that could cause damage to the main or auxiliary engines.
Owners and charterers should be aware that bunker supply contracts contain various time limits and methods for notification to the bunker provider of problematic fuel. The purchaser should review the bunker sale contract terms and conditions carefully and provide timely notice of operational problems that may be related to the fuel supplied.
Having a constructive dialogue with the bunker suppliers before taking on bunkers to discuss the concerns related to the possible presence of chlorinated hydrocarbons in HSFO can also yield positive results.
Lastly, bunker samples taken at the time of delivery will be relevant evidence that may help to resolve a dispute between owners and charterers regarding the compliance of the fuel supplied as well as between seller and purchaser under the bunker sale contract. For more information please refer to our alertand poster on bunker sampling.

We would like to thank Veritas Petroleum Services for the information.

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Source: Gard
Published: 1 April, 2022

Legal

Shell Singapore charged over Pulau Bukom oil leaks, reporting delays

Shell faces four charges under Singapore’s Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act over two 2024 oil discharge incidents at its Pulau Bukom facility.

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

2 MPA craft (left) supporting Shell craft in the clean up operations of the oil sheens taken on 28 Dec 9am

Shell Singapore has been charged over two incidents in 2024 involving oily mixtures discharged into Singapore waters from its facilities at Pulau Bukom, according to media reports on Tuesday (22 September).

The company faces four charges under the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act, including allegations that it failed to report the discharges to the port master immediately.

The first incident occurred on 20 October 2024, when approximately 40 metric tonnes (mt) of oily mixture was discharged through a hole in a pipeline at the Shell Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park at about 8am.

Shell is accused of reporting the incident to the port master at about 12.55pm, several hours after the discharge occurred.

The second incident took place between 26 and 28 December 2024. An estimated 485kg to 956kg of oil mixture was discharged into Singapore waters from the same facility.

Shell is accused of failing to report the incident immediately, with notification to the port master made at about 11.50am on 26 December 2024, according to the charges.

Singapore’s pollution-prevention regulations require occupiers of such facilities to report oil or oily-mixture discharges into Singapore waters “without delay and to the fullest extent possible”.

Shell’s representative requested an eight-week adjournment at the 22 September hearing, citing the need to obtain internal instructions, appoint counsel and locate historical records. The company said the business associated with the incidents had been divested in 2025.

The case was adjourned to October. Shell is also facing prosecution by Singapore’s National Environment Agency over the same incidents.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 25 September, 2026

Incident

MPA probes Singapore Strait collision involving fishing vessel, bulk carrier

MPA says there were no reported injuries among the crew of either vessel in the incident involving China-registered fishing vessel “Lu Qing Yuan Yu” and Panama-registered bulk carrier “First Margaux” .

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

Panama-registered bulk carrier “First Margaux”

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Tuesday (22 September) said it is investigating the incident involving the China-registered fishing vessel Lu Qing Yuan Yu and the Panama-registered bulk carrier First Margaux in the Singapore Strait on 17 September.

MPA said there were no reported injuries among the crew of either vessel or pollution arising from the incident and navigational traffic was not affected.

Videos circulating on social media showed the bulk carrier colliding with the fishing vessel.

“The fishing vessel took on water during the incident but remained afloat and stable, with the crew taking measures to manage the situation onboard,” MPA said.

The vessel was subsequently towed to Raffles Reserved Anchorage for assessment.

Essential crew remained onboard to support the tow, while the Singapore Civil Defence Force supported the transfer of other crew to shore.

MPA added it also issued navigational safety broadcasts to keep other vessels clear of the tow and escorted the vessel into port with a MPA craft.

Photo credit: MarineTraffic / Arnold Pohen
Published: 25 September, 2026

Mass Flowmeter

TFG Marine deploys first MFM-equipped bunker barge in Jamaica

Bunker barge “Kingston Trader” is currently on its way to Jamaica following the successful installation of a Coriolis mass flow meter (MFM) system, certified to ISO 22192.

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

TFG Marine deploys first MFM-equipped bunker barge in Jamaica

Global marine fuel supply and procurement firm TFG Marine on Thursday (24 September) said its bunker barge Kingston Trader is currently on its way to Jamaica following the successful installation of a Coriolis mass flow meter (MFM) system, certified to ISO 22192.

The company said the latest installation brings the proportion of TFG Marine’s fleet equipped with MFMs to approximately 88%, marking another step in the continued rollout of this technology across its global bunkering operations.

“The barge will operate in Jamaica through our local partnership with Scott Petroleum, becoming the first bunkering vessel in the region equipped with this technology and bringing greater accuracy, transparency and assurance to fuel measurement for customers across the Caribbean,” TFG Marine said in a social media post.

“Together with Scott Petroleum, we look forward to working collaboratively with the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, the The Port Authority of Jamaica, Petrojam Limited and other stakeholders to share our experience of MFM technology, explore its wider benefits and support the continued development of bunkering standards across the region.”

Manifold Times previously reported TFG Marine continuing to expand MFM technology across its US Gulf Coast bunker fleet with Buffalo B414 and Buffalo B304 being fitted with the equipment.

Last year, TFG Marine announced it reached a key milestone in its global digitalisation programme with the installation of an ISO 22192-compliant MFM on the Buffalo 404, a barge on time charter from American bunker barge company Buffalo Marine Service Inc.

The installation was part of TFG Marine’s wider strategy to equip close to 90% of its global bunkering fleet with MFMs by 2026 as a commitment towards improving data integrity, streamlining operations and strengthening trust in marine fuel transactions.

Photo credit: TFG Marine
Published: 25 September, 2026