%E2%80%98100+per+cent+fuel+testing+is+a+necessity%E2%80%98

‘We cannot allow any interruptions in our schedules because of poor fuel oil and consequent engine problems. Therefore, we have a testing programme in place, making sure that all the fuel oil we take onboard is quality tested,’ says the Executive Vice President, Technical Services, of Neptune Orient Line (NOL) in Singapore, Kong Leong Teh.

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NOL’s Kong Leon Teh and Hee Ping Sim.
NOL is one of the worlds leading international shipping companies, operating an extensive fleet of container vessels and tankers. From its headquarters in Singapore, NOL is focusing its operations on the entire transport chain; in short, a door-to-door transport service. The fuel testing programme was initiated some 10 years ago, says Hee Ping Sim, Director of Technical Services at NOL. We experienced deteriorating fuel oil quality, leading to operational problems. The fuel oil testing programme was so successful that we now have integrated it into our operations with testing of all fuel oil delivered. Our experience shows that on a yearly average, NOL receives five reports of quality shortfall in the bunkers supplied to our vessels. This indicates a low frequency of poor fuel oil delivered, but for us, one single engine breakdown is more costly that the entire testing programme. So, we feel we cannot run our operations without specific knowledge of the quality of the fuel oil we take onboard.

Prevention better than cure
Continues Sim, For us it is a quality issue. We have to deliver cargo on time to our customers. NOL is therefore very careful when selecting suppliers of fuel oil. We go to major suppliers based on previous experience, and I dare say we pay a premium for quality oil. However, even for the major oil companies the refinery process can go wrong. But when the suppliers know that we run a 100 per cent testing programme, at least they do not cheat us. For us, the time from the sample being taken to the results are available to the ships crew is important, but not the most critical issue. We never start using new fuel oil before the test results are received and approved. Naturally we have capacity to run on old fuel even if we have left for the next port. Even today there is no international standard as to how the samples are to be taken. Singapore Port Authorities have introduced a standard developed together with DNV Petroleum Services, stating that all samples are to be taken at the ships manifold. That means at the point where the custody of the fuel oil is transferred from the supplier to the ship. I believe that the ships manifold is the most logical point to take samples in order to avoid disputes. An additional problem is that there are no international standards for sampling at the ships manifolds. But, as more shipping companies go for fuel oil testing, common standards will be developed. Executive Vice President Kong Leong Teh also confirms that random testing of fuel oil quality would be to run the operations at NOL too high a risk. This opens the door for mishaps. In container shipping it is completely unacceptable to interfere with schedules.

Date: 2001-03-15

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