The ability to conduct a spot check for sulfur in fuel oil on board ship will help ship owners and operators ensure compliance with the latest IMO (MARPOL) regulations.
As of January 2020, the maximum sulfur content allowed in fuels for marine applications has been changed: for all areas outside the current sulfur emission control areas (SECAs), the limit has been reduced from the current level of 3.50 percent m/m to 0.50 percent m/m. Introduced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the new limit has been applied worldwide and covers fuel oils used in main and auxiliary engines and boilers. Subsequently, compliance with the new regulations was monitored by port state control.
For shipowners and operators, the new limit leaves little room for error. The traditional method of confirming the sulfur level by bunker delivery note greatly increases the risk of noncompliance and subsequent penalties. In addition, waiting for laboratory analysis does not turn out to be a good strategy, as the ship may have already sailed by the time the results are received and a sulfur level outside the specified limit is found. With Parker’s XRF analyzer, bunkers can be sampled during delivery and noncompliance is indentified within the first few minutes (and any other time interval), thus preventing costly debunkering and payment for noncompliant fuel.
“The variation in fuel from port to port will be expanded, and in addition, currently, the fines and penalties imposed on non-compliant vessels in special environmental control areas vary widely. As a result, ensuring uniform enforcement is an obstacle.”
Scott Herring, marine account manager, Parker Hannifin
It is essential that every ship knows and complies with the sulfur limits of 0.10 percent m/m in SECA areas or 0.50 percent m/m in all other areas of the world. On-board testing is one of the most effective means of establishing fuel compliance with sulfur regulations.
The whitepaper The Science of Compliance: using portable instruments in the field to verify fuel compliance for marine applications illustrates recent technological advances and the benefits of using portable spectrometers in the field to measure sulfur and biodiesel concentrations within different fuels to help meet compliance standards.
Testing at sea, offshore and onshore
As a lightweight, portable and self-contained X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer, the XRF analyzer enables standard on-site laboratory testing of fuel oils at sea or on land. XRF provides an accurate indication in less than three minutes of sulfur content through the analysis of a small sample of fuel. In this way, both ship owners and port state control (PSC) can conduct tests before non-compliant fuel is loaded and before a ship leaves port.
The XRF analyzer can, for example, be used in the engine room or control room of a ship to test the sulfur content of fuel oil during delivery. Checking the fuel allows the crew to verify that the sulfur content reported on the bunker delivery note is correct, thus eliminating the risk of inadvertent noncompliance.
XRF can be used by suppliers, brokers, inspectors and manufacturers of marine fuels. By ensuring rapid and accessible testing, the XRF analyzer allows fuel oils to be analyzed more frequently and conveniently than sending samples to the laboratory. by downloading test results or archiving them for up to two years, the XRF analyzer also plays an important role in the more efficient management of compliance audits by ship operators.
Traditional methods of verifying sulfur limit compliance are based on paper documentation requirements such as the Bunker Delivery Note (BDN). These methods not only significantly increase the risk of noncompliance and the resulting penalties for shipowners, but also increase the environmental impact of fuels with higher sulfur content. In addition, the delay in laboratory analysis creates the risk that the ship may leave port with noncompliant fuel on board or have to request debunkering of noncompliant fuel and refueling of compliant fuel, incurring significant delays and additional costs. The XRF analyzer provides a spot analysis of the sulfur content of fuel performed on-site, allowing the PSC to ascertain compliance almost instantaneously and offering shipowners the opportunity to avoid penalties, as well as the time, expense, and operational impact of non-compliant fueling.
“The XRF analyzer is factory calibrated in accordance with ISO 8754 and performs field measurements that are closely related to laboratory measurements in accordance with ISO 8754.”
Dr. David Atkinson – principal chemist, Parker Hannifin
Measurement of lubricating oil performance and accelerated wear and tear
In addition to measuring sulfur content in fuel oils, the XRF analyzer can be used to measure a number of common contaminants that can affect lubricating oil performance and indicate accelerated wear conditions. Wear elements detected by the Parker XRF analyzer and their likely sources aboard a ship (if any):
Portable XRF Analyzer
The XRF analyzer combines simplicity and precision. Its self-contained operation offers an immediate plug-and-play solution. Integrated in a small and lightweight housing, it consists of a high-resolution touchscreen LCD display that enables quick operation and provides clear results.
The operator simply takes the fuel oil sample from the ship’s system with a special container, places it in the XRF analyzer, and presses the button to perform the test. Since the sample is not damaged or altered during the test, it can be kept for any further analysis.
The test result is indicated as the percentage of sulfur in the sample. In this way, ambiguous assessments or those prone to human error can be avoided by eliminating the need for the operator to interpret the test data.
A reliable tool
The XRF analyzer is part of Parker’s range of condition monitoring equipment used where maximum efficiency and total confidence are critical to the protection of key facilities and equipment. Our equipment is widely used in the maritime, oil & gas, power generation, aviation and industrial sectors. Constant investment in research and development over the past 25 years has enabled Parker to produce the best systems for accurate analysis and monitoring of operating condition lubricants, hydraulics, metal residues, fuels, gases and noise emissions. In addition to ensuring compliance with global regulations, Parker condition monitoring systems are used to provide early indication of possible failures. This enables operators to use predictive and proactive maintenance to minimize repair costs and extend equipment life.
By supporting an intelligence-driven approach to maintenance, condition monitoring equipment can significantly reduce system downtime and directly contribute to increased productivity and profitability.
Parker offers customers a worldwide network of technical service centers. Parker has numerous patents, and over the past 25 years, its systems have been used to monitor several thousand ships at all levels of sophistication and complexity. In all cases, he provided the operator with essential information prior to any required action.
A world leader in condition monitoring equipment, Parker’s Hydraulic & Industrial Process Filtration Division EMEA stands for efficiency and innovation, and guarantees the highest levels of protection.
Download our latest whitepaper The science of compliance: using portable instruments in the field to verify fuel compliance for marine applications
Article contributed by Dr. David Atkinson, principal chemist, Hydraulic & Industrial Process Filtration Division EMEA at Parker.
Other useful and related articles on this topic:
Fuel Switching: Monitoring to Prevent Damage
Bunker Quality: Why Changes to ISO 8217 Increase the Need for Condition Monitoring
The ability to conduct a spot check for sulfur in fuel oil on board ship will help ship owners and operators ensure compliance with the latest IMO (MARPOL) regulations.
As of January 2020, the maximum allowable sulfur content in fuels for marine applications has been changed: for all areas outside the current sulfur emission control areas (SECAs), the limit has been reduced from the current level of 3.50 percent m/m to 0.50 percent m/m. Introduced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the new limit has been applied worldwide and covers fuel oils used in main and auxiliary engines and boilers. Subsequently, compliance with the new regulations was monitored by port state control.
For shipowners and operators, the new limit leaves little room for error. The traditional method of confirming the sulfur level by bunker delivery note greatly increases the risk of noncompliance and subsequent penalties. In addition, waiting for laboratory analysis does not turn out to be a good strategy, as the ship may have already sailed by the time the results are received and a sulfur level outside the specified limit is found. With Parker’s XRF analyzer, bunkers can be sampled during delivery and noncompliance is indentified within the first few minutes (and any other time interval), thus preventing costly debunkering and payment for noncompliant fuel.
“The variation in fuel from port to port will be expanded, and in addition, currently, the fines and penalties imposed on non-compliant vessels in special environmental control areas vary widely. As a result, ensuring uniform enforcement is an obstacle.”
Scott Herring, marine account manager, Parker Hannifin
It is essential that every ship knows and complies with the sulfur limits of 0.10 percent m/m in SECA areas or 0.50 percent m/m in all other areas of the world. On-board testing is one of the most effective means of establishing fuel compliance with sulfur regulations.
The whitepaper The Science of Compliance: using portable instruments in the field to verify fuel compliance for marine applications illustrates recent technological advances and the benefits of using portable spectrometers in the field to measure sulfur and biodiesel concentrations within different fuels to help meet compliance standards.
Testing at sea, offshore and onshore
As a lightweight, portable and self-contained X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer, the XRF analyzer enables standard on-site laboratory testing of fuel oils at sea or on land. XRF provides an accurate indication in less than three minutes of sulfur content through the analysis of a small sample of fuel. In this way, both ship owners and port state control (PSC) can conduct tests before non-compliant fuel is loaded and before a ship leaves port.
The XRF analyzer can, for example, be used in the engine room or control room of a ship to test the sulfur content of fuel oil during delivery. Checking the fuel allows the crew to verify that the sulfur content reported on the bunker delivery note is correct, thus eliminating the risk of inadvertent noncompliance.
XRF can be used by suppliers, brokers, inspectors and manufacturers of marine fuels. By ensuring rapid and accessible testing, the XRF analyzer allows fuel oils to be analyzed more frequently and conveniently than sending samples to the laboratory. by downloading test results or archiving them for up to two years, the XRF analyzer also plays an important role in the more efficient management of compliance audits by ship operators.
Traditional methods of verifying sulfur limit compliance are based on paper documentation requirements such as the Bunker Delivery Note (BDN). These methods not only significantly increase the risk of noncompliance and the resulting penalties for shipowners, but also increase the environmental impact of fuels with higher sulfur content. In addition, the delay in laboratory analysis creates the risk that the ship may leave port with noncompliant fuel on board or have to request debunkering of noncompliant fuel and refueling of compliant fuel, incurring significant delays and additional costs. The XRF analyzer provides a spot analysis of the sulfur content of fuel performed on-site, allowing the PSC to ascertain compliance almost instantaneously and offering shipowners the opportunity to avoid penalties, as well as the time, expense, and operational impact of non-compliant fueling.
“The XRF analyzer is factory calibrated in accordance with ISO 8754 and performs field measurements that are closely related to laboratory measurements in accordance with ISO 8754.”
Dr. David Atkinson – principal chemist, Parker Hannifin
Measurement of lubricating oil performance and accelerated wear and tear
In addition to measuring sulfur content in fuel oils, the XRF analyzer can be used to measure a number of common contaminants that can affect lubricating oil performance and indicate accelerated wear conditions. Wear elements detected by the Parker XRF analyzer and their likely sources aboard a ship (if any):
Portable XRF Analyzer
The XRF analyzer combines simplicity and precision. Its self-contained operation offers an immediate plug-and-play solution. Integrated in a small, lightweight housing, it consists of a high-resolution touchscreen LCD display that enables quick operation and provides clear results.
The operator simply takes the fuel oil sample from the ship’s system with a special container, places it in the XRF analyzer, and presses the button to perform the test. Since the sample is not damaged or altered during the test, it can be kept for any further analysis.
The test result is indicated as the percentage of sulfur in the sample. In this way, ambiguous evaluations or those prone to human error can be avoided by eliminating the need for the operator to interpret the test data.
A reliable tool
The XRF analyzer is part of Parker’s range of condition monitoring equipment used where maximum efficiency and total confidence are critical to the protection of key facilities and equipment. Our equipment is widely used in the maritime, oil & gas, power generation, aviation and industrial sectors. Constant investment in research and development over the past 25 years has enabled Parker to produce the best systems for accurate analysis and monitoring of operating condition lubricants, hydraulics, metal residues, fuels, gases and noise emissions. In addition to ensuring compliance with global regulations, Parker’s condition monitoring systems are used to provide early indication of possible failures. This enables operators to use predictive and proactive maintenance to minimize repair costs and extend equipment life.
By supporting an intelligence-driven approach to maintenance, condition monitoring equipment can significantly reduce system downtime and directly contribute to increased productivity and profitability.
Parker offers customers a worldwide network of technical service centers. Parker has numerous patents, and over the past 25 years, its systems have been used to monitor several thousand ships at all levels of sophistication and complexity. In all cases, he provided the operator with essential information prior to any required action.
A world leader in condition monitoring equipment, Parker’s Hydraulic & Industrial Process Filtration Division EMEA stands for efficiency and innovation, and guarantees the highest levels of protection.
Download our latest whitepaper The science of compliance: using portable instruments in the field to verify fuel compliance for marine applications
Article contributed by Dr. David Atkinson, principal chemist, Hydraulic & Industrial Process Filtration Division EMEA at Parker.
Other useful and related articles on this topic:
Fuel Switching: Monitoring to Prevent Damage
Bunker Quality: Why Changes to ISO 8217 Increase the Need for Condition Monitoring
XRF Analyzer Brochure
Fuel Monitoring MattersParker Hannifin | Parker Hannifin