Bunker sector aims to increase dependability further

24 April 2013

The bunker sector has entered into close collaboration so that the quality and quantity of bunkering supplied in the port of Rotterdam can be better guaranteed. Parties also want to specify which substances (in certain concentrations) should not be permitted to occur in bunker oil. At the same time, the sector desires more transparency with traceable product flows and a more efficient bunkering process.

To that aim, Hendrik Muilerman on behalf of the Netherlands Petroleum Industry Association (VNPI), Johan van der Steen from the Dutch Organisation for the Energy Industry (NOVE), Boudewijn Siemons on behalf of the Association of Independent Tank Storage Companies (Votob) and Hans Smits, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, signed a joint venture on 23 April. It is the first time that the parties will cooperate in order to improve the dependability of the sector and make the product even more attractive commercially.

Concrete
In concrete terms, this all means that there is an endeavour to make the bunker oil supplied in the port of Rotterdam comply not only with the legal requirements under Marpol (Maritime Pollution Convention) Annex VI, but also with the ISO 8217 standard. The sector wants it to be clear which substances (in certain concentrations) are undesirable in bunker oil and it will make every effort to prevent such substances from getting into bunker oil. The sector aims at further transparency of the bunker oil chain by entering into further agreements about the traceability. For instance, sampling systems will be investigated. The sector will further strive to develop a reliable, innovative method of determining the quantities that are supplied, for instance through the use of flow meters. Even now, it still happens that quantities supplied - even with large deliveries valued at more than €7 million - are determined in a ‘traditional’, less precise manner. The largest amounts of bunker oil are supplied to container ships. These ships sail on scheduled services and remain in the ports for increasingly shorter periods. This means that bunkering also has to take place increasingly faster. It is therefore in everyone’s interest for the bunker supply process to run as smoothly as possible.

Rotterdam bunker port
Following Singapore (40 million tonnes) and Fujairah (20 million tonnes), with 11 million tonnes the port of Rotterdam is third on the list of the world’s most important bunker ports. Every month 2,000 bunker deliveries take place. They represent a yearly value of more than €6 billion.

Port of Rotterdam Authority press release