Off-spec bunkers blamed for ECA violation
Contrary to the bunker delivery note, Dutch authorities said the fuel did not meet sulfur limit standards, Ship & Bunker reports. The UK P&I Club said Friday a vessel was detained in Rotterdam for breaching North Sea Sulfur Emissions Control Area (SECA) rules in what, according to the vessel's bunker delivery notes, appears to be a result of off-spec bunkers.
The club's bulletin did not name the vessel, its owner, or the bunker supplier, saying only that the bunker fuel in question was supplied to the vessel by a bunker supplier in a North African port prior to its arrival in Rotterdam.
According to the bunker delivery note, the fuel was within the required sulfur limits, but an analysis of the bunker fuel by Dutch authorities found it to exceed those permitted under the North Sea SECA regulations, and subsequently detained the vessel.
Saying they had been sold the bunker fuel under false documentation, the vessel's owners sought to expunge the detention from the vessel's record, but this was refused by the authorities who the club said did not acknowledge the bunker supplier's role in the affair.
The club took the opportunity to stress the importance of collecting and maintaining meticulous records of all bunker fuel received.
In August DNV Petroleum Services (DNVPS) told the International Bunker Industry Association Asia bunker forum that approximately 10% of North American Emission Control Area (ECA) compliant 1.00% sulfur 380 cSt bunker fuel is off-specification and does not meet the 1% sulfur limit.