Indian marine experts are warning shipping owners to take more interest in bunker fuel quality.
Refuelling the refuellers Image: Wirralwater |
The warning came during India's first ever bunkering conference, entitled "Outlook for Bunkering and Marine Lubricants in India". Amongst a range of issues discussed, R. C. Bhavnani, Vice President of Global Marketing at Singapore's Viswa Lab, claimed that cheap bunker fuel could prove to be a false economy for ship owners.
Mr Bhavnani highlighted the tensions between ship owners wanting to save money by sourcing cheaper fuel - usually from the Asia's bunkering hub, Singapore - and facing higher costs of servicing and replacement engine parts as a result of poor quality fuel.
The scientist highlighted research undertaken by Viswa which showed that while Indian sourced bunker fuel was more expensive, the condition index was actually higher, making the fuel more efficient and with less engine wear, thus significantly reducing overall costs compared with cheaper fuels.
He pointed out that fuel efficiency was rarely measured on board, so ship owners and managers would be inclined to take the cheaper option at source. Mr Bhavnani added that much of the cost reduction was due to Indian crude being blended in Singapore before being sold on.
The conference also heard that India was wasting the opportunity to become Asia's bunkered fuel hub, despite a coastline with more than 250 ports, because it was not competing with Singapore's absence of tax on bunkered fuel and the supporting infrastructure that had been created by Singapore around the bunkering industry.