Fuel quality issues continue to pose problems

The latest report in the Lloyd’s Register FOBAS Fuel Insight series on fuel quality trends highlights some worrisome trends in the second half of 2025.

The bi-annual Fuel Insight series leverages the extensive expertise of Lloyd’s Register’s Fuel Oil Bunker Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) teams, who are at the forefront of fuel testing and analysis.

Highlights of the latest H2 2025 Fuel Quality Report include:

Significant late‑year escalation of regional fuel quality failures: A sharp rise in both the frequency and severity of off specification incidents, with December 2025 recording the highest monthly totals of the year. Major bunkering hubs such as Singapore, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hong Kong, and Port Klang experienced repeated failures involving high sulfur, catalytic fines, elevated sediment, and excessive water content, creating a challenging operational environment for vessels.

Extreme catalytic fine, water, and sodium outliers posing direct operational risks: The report highlights contamination clusters—including Singapore with cat fine spikes up to 580 mg/kg, Rotterdam water levels reaching 14.6% vol, and Antwerp/Rotterdam sodium values near 980 mg/kg. These outliers led to rapid filter loading, separator carry over, sludge formation, and increased purification demands, requiring immediate segregation and enhanced onboard treatment measures.

Repeated and severe flash point non-compliance in distillate fuels: Multiple ports—including Civitavecchia, Lisbon, Palermo, and Lianyungang—supplied distillate fuels with flash points between 47–55°C, well below the SOLAS minimum of 60°C. These breaches represent serious safety hazards and were sometimes linked to land grade diesel entering the marine supply chain, underscoring the need for strict supplier verification and mandatory laboratory flash point testing.

• Download the full report HERE

The post Fuel quality issues continue to pose problems appeared first on Marine Log.