Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) has confirmed that they have detected chlorinated hydrocarbons on fuel samples representing HSFO deliveries in Singapore.

The fuel deliveries were made by a couple of suppliers. These bad bunkers are causing cases of fuel pump corrosion/seizure and sludging. VPS continues to investigate, running both GS-MS (Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometer) and stability tests.

Great efforts are also being undertaken by the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore to locate the root cause. MPA has contacted bunker suppliers to take steps to stop the supply of the bad batch of fuel. They have also informed all the ships supplied with the fuel to exercise caution.

It is recommended to take samples before and after the fuel treatment plant to gauge the fuel oil quality at the engine inlet. This will help in any subsequent assessment of increased engine wear and damages, and in resolving fuel quality dispute.