Marine fuel oil commonly referred to bunkers and the number of bunker disputes increased in the recent years which mainly due to the deterioration of the supplied quality and the determination of the supplied quantity. The quality problems of the bunker are mainly due to the secondary refining, like thermal cracking and catalytic cracking. This process of secondary refining will affect the bunker quality, including the increment of fuel density, worsen of sediment in fuel oil, introduction of catalytic fines and poor ignition quality.
The bunker quality can affect the performance of engines of a vessel, and thus the quality has to follow the ISO 8217:2010 Petroleum products – Fuels (class F) – Specifications for marine fuels. ISO 8217:2010 provide some guidelines and requirements on acceptable levels of catalytic fines in residual marine fuel oils. These included some requirements relating to the hydrogen sulphide concentration of all fuel oil types, oxidation stability and lubricity of distillate fuel oils, and ignition characteristics and sodium concentration of residual fuel oils.
Furthermore, to comply with the maritime pollution prevention problem, the bunker quality must follow the IMO International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) annex VI on preventing air pollution, the sulphur content of fuel supplied must be no more than 3.5% m/m from January 2012. These regulations are those dealing with nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and fuel oil quality. Shipowners and time charterers should obtain full copies of MARPOL and ensure these requirements are incorporated into their operating procedures.
The determination of the bunker quantity is also a critical issue in the bunker disputes. In the bunkering process, a ‘cappuccino effect’ will be occurred and this will cause difficulty in the determination of actual bunker quantity. After sailing from the bunkering port, the vessel may find that the actual bunker quantity is much lesser than the quantity stated in the bunker delivery note.
In order to avoid or mitigate the loss, the following preventive actions are suggested to be taken:
- It is important to recognize that the fuel oil specification requirements must be clearly stated at the time of purchase. Also, the bunker quality should meet the requirements of ISO 8217:2010 and MARPOL.
- In the Time Charter Party, BIMCO fuel quality clause and BIMCO sulphur content clause are suggested to be included in order to protect Owners’ interest.
- It is critical to record all activities during the bunkering operation. The bunker delivery notes should state all the facts and the details information in the bunker operation.
- Off landing of bunker samples for analysis is important, because this quality check can help to prove that the bunker supplied are strictly comply with the requirements by BIMCO and MARPOL.
- If there are any problems about quality of bunker, then the master should issue the Letters of Protest to protect Owners’ interest.
- Finally, the shipowner or charterer should notify the FD&D department of its P&I club (or defence club) for the bunker dispute. If the ship’s engine has been damaged, hull underwriters and/or the charterer’s damage-to-hull underwriters should be notified. Specialist bunker underwriters (if applicable) should also be notified.
See attached file : ALCO20120040 Bunker Claims Prevention.pdf
船用燃料油索赔预防
近年来，船用燃油的纠纷渐渐增加，这主要是因为油商所提供燃油的质量持续恶化和供给量测定问题所导致。基本上燃油的质量会受二次精炼所影响，如热裂化和催化裂解。这种精炼过程会影响燃油本身的质量，包括会增加燃油的密度和沉积物含量、引入催化剂微粒、发火质量不良。
船用燃油的质量会严重影响船只的发动机性能，因此其品质必须遵循国际标准化组织的规定(ISO 8217:2010 石油产品 — 燃油（F 级）— 船用燃油规范)。该规范能对船用残渣燃料油中的，可被接受的催化剂微粒的程度，这一问题上提供一些指导和要求，包括相关燃油类型的硫化氢浓度，馏分燃料油氧化安定性和润滑性，残渣燃料油燃烧特性和钠浓度。
此外，为遵守预防海洋污染问题，燃油的质量必须遵守国际海事组织的《国际防止船舶造成污染公约》（以下简称 “防污公约” ）附则六——防止船舶造成空气污染规则的规定。自2012年1月起，所供应的燃料的硫含量不应超过3.5% m/m。这些条例主要是用于应对氮氧化物，硫氧化物和燃油质量问题。因此，船东和期租租船人应取得 “防污公约” 的完整副本，并确保这些要求纳入到他们的作业程序中。
在船用燃油纠纷的事件中，确定燃油的数量也是一个关键的问题。而在供油过程中会发生 “卡布奇诺效应” 并导致难以确定实际燃油数量。当船只离开加油港后，船只会发现实际的供油数量比燃油供应通知单上记录的数量少。
为了避免或减轻损失，应采取以下建议的预防措施：
- 在购买船用燃油时明确燃油规格要求很重要。此外，燃油的质量应符合ISO 8217:2010和 “防污公约” 的要求。
- 在期租租船合同上，建议列入波罗的海国际航运公会的燃油质量条款和波罗的海国际航运公会的含硫量条款，以保障船东的利益。
- 详细记录供油操作过程中的一切活动很重要。燃油供应通知单上应详细记录供油操作过程中的所有事实和详细信息。
- 拿取船上的油样进行分析很重要，因为这一质量检验可以帮助证明所供的燃油严格符合波罗的海国际航运公会和 “防污公约” 的要求。
- 如果有任何燃油质量问题，船长应签发声明书，以保障船东的利益。
- 最后，船东或租家应通知其保赔协会内的抗辩部门或抗辩保险人。如果船的发动机已经损坏，应立即通知船壳保险人和/或租家的船壳损害责任保险人。另外，也应通知专业的燃油保险人（如适用）。
以上由 ANDREW LIU & CO.,LTD 编译，应以英文为准！
详细信息请参阅附件。
