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Infineum explains: The ability of additives to ‘save’ off-spec VLSFO bunkers depends on these factors

‘We still see circumstances where a product is ‘off-spec’ and the holder of the fuel is then trying to move it back ‘on-spec’ through the use of appropriate additive technology,’ says spokesman.
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The following article is part of event coverage for the upcoming Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition (SIBCON) 2020; where Manifold Times is an official media partner:

International fuel additive company Infineum is still encountering situations where stakeholders of off-spec bunker fuels have been found trying to save their product by using additives in a last minute attempt, according to its Global Fuels Key Accounts Manager.

“Our belief is that fuel suppliers should be providing fuels that not only meet all of the latest required specifications (ISO 8217:2017) but are also fit for purpose for the time that they will be in service and the application for which they are being used,” Steve Benwell told Manifold Times.

“We still see circumstances where a product is ‘off-spec’ and the holder of the fuel is then trying to move it back ‘on-spec’ through the use of appropriate additive technology. In these cases, the ability of additives to ‘save’ the fuel depends on the nature of the problem and its severity.”

According to Benwell, the most common issue seen with Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oils (VLSFOs), a product mainly used by shipowners to meet IMO 2020 compliance, is in sedimentation performance.

“We have also seen many cases where the fuels sedimentation performance is not steady over time, and generally it only ever goes up! VLSFO fuels are typically more paraffinic than the high sulphur counterparts but there is still a desire to get much heavy aromatic material into the fuel since these have high energy density and are cheaper,” he explains.

“This means that many VLSFOs have a higher tendency to destabilise over time as is evident by the higher incidence of sedimentation performance in the industry that is not compliant with ISO 8217.

“This deterioration in sediment performance can occur when fuels are being stored at relatively moderate temperatures (e.g. 50°C) and is not necessarily exposed by the 24-hour aging at 100°C employed in the Total Sediment Potential (TSP) test.

“Addressing this situation through the appropriate additive application can not only protect the fuel holder but also ensure a better experience for their customers further downstream.”

The below list of characteristics and scenarios where the application of additives may, or may not, have an effect on ‘saving’ off-spec VLSFOs has been shared by Benwell:

Sedimentation performance

  • Typically associated with asphaltenes and/or other insoluble materials destabilising and causing the high sedimentation results i.e. >0.1% TSP.
  • Once a fuel has destabilised, and the longer it remains in a destabilised state, the more difficult it is for an additive to get it back ‘on-spec’.
  • Infineum has one of the few additives that can achieve this, but even then it is not assured and depends on the level of sediment in the fuel and the time that it has spent in that state.
  • Additives used at the production point can alleviate that tendency and should be considered by fuel producers for borderline fuels. Testing is the only sure way of knowing whether it will work.

Cold flow characteristics in 0.5% bunker fuels

  • Pour Point and marine gas oil (MGO) Cold Filter Plugging Point can be addressed effectively with wax crystal modification additives as long as the fuel is warm enough where typically the fuel needs to be above the cloud point or the Wax Appearance Temperature of the fuel for the additive to be able to modify the wax crystals as they form in the fuel.
  • The stakeholder also needs to be careful to ensure the additive works for the long term and performance is not lost over time, as this can happen with some chemistries.
  • Cold flow additives can also offer significant benefits in terms of fuel handling in low viscosity fuels.

MGO lubricity

  • Easily addressed with additives and such products are typically designed so that they are easy to bend into the fuel.
  • Stakeholders are recommended to use additives that have been tested against US Navy F76 fuel technical requirements to ensure both the desired level of performance and the robust ‘no harms assurance’ that these specifications ensure.

Physical characteristics

  • Physical characteristics such as sulphur level, flash point, viscosity and the Calculated Carbon Aromaticity Index (CCAI) are not robustly or cost effectively addressable using additive technology and the fuel typically needs to be blended with other fuels or components to address the issue.

“The industry is still coming to terms with the new lower sulphur fuels, especially the wide variety of VLSFO options available where even for perfectly fit for purpose fuels, compatibility between some VLSFOs can be an issue and complete segregation on board may be difficult to achieve,” states Benwell.

“Recently, this has been even further complicated by the Covid-19 Pandemic and its impact on the balance that the refining industry has to strike between crude usage and finished products production.

“However, eventually, we expect the industry to address the issues associated with these new fuels through appropriate specification changes and we expect the ship operators to demand the level of fuel quality required for them to operate their ships without fear of equipment damage or operational difficulties.”

Related: Infineum: Managing Waxy Fuels
Related: Infineum B201 designed for marine fuel stability and compatibility
Related: Inevitable change for marine industry stakeholders ahead, says Infineum

A series of SIBCON 2020 related articles have been earlier written by Manifold Times:

Related: SIBCON 2020: VPS proposes mandate of latest bunker fuel quality standards for Singapore market
Related: SIBCON 2020: Equatorial Marine Fuels provides view on local and global bunker markets post Covid-19
Related: SIBCON 2020: BIMCO Chief Shipping Analyst explains new business dynamics in bunker fuels sector
Related: Chairman of Technical Committee for Bunkering explains SS 660, TR 80; and cast an eye to the future
Related: SIBCON 2020: TR 48 reaps annual savings of at least SGD 80 million for bunkering sector
Related: SIBCON 2020: Singapore introduces new MFM bunkering standards SS 660 and TR 80
Related: SIBCON 2020: Powering Fuels of the Future, Driving towards Decarbonisation
Related: SIBCON 2020: Senior Minister highlights ‘quality resilience and sustainability’ for bunkering sector
Related: Infineum explains: ISO 8217:2017 should be viewed as a ‘minimum performance benchmark’ for VLSFOs
Related: Interview: Hafnia shares IMO 2020 preparations, promotes transparency for bunkering operations
Related: VPS: Shipowners face ‘tricky situation’ to balance VLSFO shelf life and wax appearance temperature
Related: VPS: Big data analysis reveals link between Covid-19 and spike in low flashpoint MGO off-spec cases
Related: Interview: Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions discusses sector growth, IMO 2020, and future plans
Related: SIBCON 2020: Evolution to a ‘completely different’ bunkering industry event, says organiser
Related: Singapore: SIBCON 2020 bunkering event to be hosted virtually

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 8 October, 2020

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Biofuel

BHP and GCMD trial multi-feedstock B100 bio bunker fuel on bulk carrier

Bio-blend in the BHP and GCMD pilot is being used on a BHP-chartered bulk carrier “Berge Lyngor”, which was bunkered in Singapore in early May.

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BHP and GCMD trial multi-feedstock B100 bio bunker fuel on bulk carrier

BHP and the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Wednesday (3 June) said they have blended biofuels from two distinct feedstocks—used cooking oil and waste animal fats —and introduced the lower-emissions marine fuel into a BHP-chartered bulk carrier as part of a pilot project.

The bio-blend in the BHP and GCMD pilot is being used on a BHP-chartered bulk carrier Berge Lyngor, owned and operated by Berge Bulk, transporting BHP iron ore from Western Australia to China. When run on bio-blend, the vessel has the potential to reduce well-to-wake greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 79 per cent per voyage compared to sailing on very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO).

The vessel bunkered in Singapore in early May with a B100 bio-blend comprising 50 percent tallow-derived biodiesel, sourced and supplied by HAMR Energy, and 50 per cent used cooking oil (UCOME) supplied by Mitsui & Co Energy Trading Singapore (METS).

Mitsui also blended the fuel and Dan-Bunkering coordinated and executed the bunkering operation, which was performed by Global Energy’s barge MT Maple.

The BHP and GCMD pilot will assess how biofuels from multiple feedstocks can be blended, handled, and introduced under real-world operating conditions using existing used cooking oil bunkering infrastructure.

At the same time, insights from this pilot will help identify solutions to challenges related to fuel quality, handling, traceability, and onboard vessel performance.

Biofuels for global shipping today rely heavily on used cooking oil – a feedstock whose availability is approaching its projected limits. Biofuel from waste animal fats presents a promising option to expand the supply of lower-emissions marine fuels.

The outcomes of the pilot are expected to shed light on the practical steps to integrate biofuel blends from different feedstocks into existing supply chains. The diversity of biofuels will provide shipowners and operators with greater flexibility to optimise fuel procurement based on cost, availability, and lifecycle emissions performance.

Biofuels derived from different feedstocks can exhibit varying properties that may impact operations, including potential corrosion from oxidation, fuel system clogging caused by wax formation, which this pilot aims to assess.

The pilot will trace and verify the biofuel blend’s integrity aimed at bolstering confidence in emissions reductions reporting. The pilot will also provide insights into how robust tracing can support future marine fuel supply chains where biofuels from multiple feedstocks with varying lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions footprints are blended together.

This project is co-funded by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore under the Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund (MINT).

 

Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 3 June, 2026

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Biofuel

NYK starts one-year B100 bio bunker fuel trial on car carrier

In this trial, NYK will operate a car carrier continuously on B100 for one year to evaluate the impact on engines, fuel supply systems, and operational practices.
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NYK starts one-year B100 bio bunker fuel trial on car carrier

Japanese shipping firm NYK on Tuesday (2 June) said it has commenced a one-year long-term trial involving the continuous use of 100% biofuel (B100) on an NYK-operated car carrier. 

In this trial, NYK will operate a car carrier continuously on B100 for one year to evaluate the impact on engines, fuel supply systems, and operational practices. High-purity biofuels such as B100 are known to be susceptible to degradation from oxygen, light, and heat, raising concerns about the stability of such fuels during long-term use.

In this trial, the biofuel primarily comprises FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) derived from used cooking oil and similar feedstocks.

The initiative is designed to evaluate the fuel’s effects on the vessel’s equipment and verify operational safety under real-world conditions. 

Through this effort, NYK seeks to accumulate technical expertise that will support the broader use of high-purity biofuels and further accelerate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

NYK has been advancing the use of biofuels through various initiatives. In 2024, the company conducted a trial using biofuel blend B24 and subsequently expanded practical usage to B30. However, the company said there remains limited global experience with the long-term continuous use of B100.

“By collecting long-term operational data through this trial, NYK aims to accumulate valuable technical insights to support both the safe operation of vessels and the wider adoption of high-purity biofuels,” it said. 

 

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 3 June, 2026

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Ammonia

AM Green plans to build green ammonia plant at Indian port

Initiative also includes development of green ammonia handling, storage and bunkering infrastructure, pilot bunkering operations, safety procedures and training programmes, says VOC Port Authority.

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VO Chidambaranar (VOC) Port Authority on Friday (29 May) said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s ammonia producer AM Green Ammonia to collaborate in the development of a green ammonia production plant.

The plant will have a capacity of one million tonnes per annum (MTPA) at Tuticorin.

The initiative also includes development of green ammonia handling, storage and bunkering infrastructure, pilot bunkering operations, safety procedures and training programmes. 

The project is expected to support the development of green fuel corridors connecting VOC Port with major ports in Europe and Asia, thereby strengthening India’s position in the global green fuels value chain.

VOC Port also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bureau Veritas (India) Pvt. Ltd., to collaborate on Green Port certification, emissions accounting, ESG reporting, safety validation, development of green bunkering practices, and establishment of a Centre of Excellence for green fuels and sustainability.

The port also plans for an upcoming 750 m³ green methanol bunkering facility.

 

Photo credit: Naveed Ahmed on Unsplash
Published: 3 June, 2026

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