The International Bunker Industry Association is has presented the first edition of its “Best practice guidance for suppliers for assuring the quality of bunkers delivered to ships” which has been developed in response to a call from the International Maritime Organization. This is the first time a concerted effort has been made to address procedures to safeguard and maintain bunker fuel quality control throughout the entire supply chain; from the production of bunkers all the way through to delivery to ships, in a single, comprehensive guidance document.
Unni Einemo, who has coordinated IBIA’s input to the two best practice documents submitted to MEPC 72, says: “The focus of IBIA’s draft best practice guidance is to ensure the quality of bunkers delivered to ships meet the agreed purchase specifications and applicable global and local regulations. While the vast majority of bunkers delivered meet these requirements, quality can be unintentionally adulterated at various stages in the supply chain. The guidance seeks to identify and promote best practices to mitigate quality risks throughout the entire chain.”
She adds: “Combined with the best practice guidance for buyers/purchasers submitted to MEPC 72, and the draft best practice for Member States/coastal States being developed by the MEPC Correspondence Group on Fuel Oil Quality, which IBIA also participates in, all aspects of quality control will be addressed. Hopefully this will help all stakeholders in ensuring better understanding of what it takes to ensure that ships are provided with bunker fuels that meet their operational requirements. This could become even more critical as of 2020, when we are likely to see a range of unfamiliar fuel blends that will require due diligence from all parties.”
IBIA’s draft best practice guidance for suppliers has drawn on information in international and local standards dealing specifically with marine fuel oil quality, procedures to maintain quality control in the supply chain, and procedures for delivery to ships and associated sampling and documentation. It has also drawn on published and unpublished work from a range of experts and been reviewed by multiple industry stakeholders.
In drafting the guidance, IBIA has also taken into account commercial realities and the fact that local standards and regulations vary, recognising that the best practice will also be subject to variations.
The guidance on best practice for suppliers is ambitious, and many bunker suppliers would struggle to adhere to various aspects of these best practices owing to a variety of factors, including but not limited to local or commercial constraints and a lack of cooperation from other parties. Nevertheless, this best practice guidance could contribute to improving standards and reduce the risk of bunkers delivered to ships failing to meet the buyer’s quality specifications.