This week at MarineLink…

The IMO 2020 Sulfur Cap essentially ushered in a new type of fuel – VLSFO. With it came the engine problems caused by off-spec or incompatible fuels as producers grappled with the requirement for providing a sulfur content not exceeding 0.05%. As pointed out in Lloyd’s Register’s 2024 Fuel Quality Report, persistent issues involving cat fines, stability, sulfur content and flash point continue, and isolated incidents of chemical contamination are still occurring.

If new, alternative fuels such as methanol cause problems onboard, they are likely to be expensive: the fuels themselves are more expensive than fossil fuels and greater volumes are required. However, this week saw the culmination of some of the work underway to prevent quality problems in the uptake of methanol. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) launched the first edition of ISO 6583:2024 – a new standard for methanol as a marine fuel.

Currently, all globally traded methanol is produced to the International Methanol Producers and Consumers Association (IMPCA) Methanol Specification Reference to a minimum purity of 99.85%, but there was no international standard specifically for methanol used as marine fuel. ISO 6583:2024 addresses…