Following the introduction of the IMO 2020 rules geared toward lowering sulphur oxide emissions in delivery (the worldwide sulphur cap), VPS has noticed a considerable change in the way in which that compliant fuels are being produced.
These very low sulphur gas oils (VLSFOs) differ from conventional excessive sulphur gas oils (HSFOs) in that they’re produced as blends containing various levels of residual and distillate gas parts.
As a results of the implementation of IMO 2020, the sulphur content material of the vast majority of fuels obtainable on the worldwide market has been considerably lowered. This is nice information for international environmental well being, as emissions from the burning of marine fuels may be immediately attributed to quite a few human well being hazards. By reducing ship-associated air pollution by the worldwide sulphur cap, ship-associated untimely mortality may be lowered (J. Ji, The Lancet, 2020)
Following the introduction of VLSFOs, the quantity and sort of gas off-specs have additionally modified considerably. With conventional HSFO, the bulk had been resulting from business parameters equivalent to density, viscosity and water content material. However, with VLSFO, we’ve got noticed a surge in off-specs resulting from operational parameters, equivalent to pour level (PP), whole sediment potential (TSP) and catalytic fines (AlSi).
These off-specs can result in severe operational issues onboard vessels, equivalent to harm to the gas therapy system, and generally even to the engine itself. Some of the operational points that VPS has encountered embody irregular air purifier operation, blockage of filters and of auto-clear backwash filters. In the worst-case situation, a vessel may even lose propulsion and danger the protection of life at sea (SOLAS).
In order to assist forestall these points, VPS offers transparency concerning the standard of the marine fuels which can be delivered and examined by us each day. This is achieved by our lately launched on-line knowledge analytics platform, PortStats.
PortStats attracts knowledge from the in depth VPS marine gas high quality database – the world’s largest of its kind.
The PortStats platform additionally presents fleet managers, technical managers and gas procurement managers the instruments they should assess the standard and worth of marine fuels in any port, from any provider, wherever on the earth. As lengthy as VPS has examined bunker samples in a sure port, the information is included within the platform. This knowledge is up to date every day so our prospects at all times have entry to the very newest gas high quality info.
PortStats is extensively used to anticipate gas high quality points, in addition to to check varied gas suppliers. Bunker patrons use this service to optimise their gas procurement course of by extra than simply gas value, but additionally the off-spec price of the gas provider in a sure port. PortStats additionally permits prospects to benchmark the calorific worth (power content material) of varied fuels from suppliers, to be able to make the most effective ‘bang-for-the-buck’ choices.
For technical managers, the PortStats platform permits monitoring of all ISO 8217 high quality parameters, and in close to actual-time. Furthermore, the platform presents monitoring of proprietary VPS high quality parameters, such because the Wax Appearance Temperature (WAT).
Other customers additionally profit from this platform. P&I Clubs, particularly, have been fervent supporters of feeding knowledge from PortStats into their very own digital platforms to help their members’ declare course of. Additional prospects embody governmental organisations and supranational organisations (e.g. the IMO, BIMCO). Some non-governmental organisations and establishments have additionally subscribed to PortStats to observe emissions from delivery in several areas.
VPS has developed PortStats to assist assist our prospects in making higher knowledge-pushed choices.
We have seen for ourselves there are numerous areas exterior our trade that may profit from the information delivered by PortStats. This is particularly true when gas high quality knowledge is mixed with voyage and gas consumption knowledge.
At VPS, we’re repeatedly increasing our digital platform by collaborating with particular companions inside our digital ecosystem. Capabilities at the moment below growth embody reside bunker gas pricing, machine studying and emission monitoring – and there may be way more on the horizon.
If this text has piqued your curiosity, please be happy to contact us for a reside demonstration of the PortStats platform so you possibly can expertise its energy for your self.
John Oosthoek
Business Development Manager – Data & Analytics
E [email protected]
M +31 6 12 15 09 17 | vpsveritas.com
