The CIMAC WG Fuels has issued a statement on the US Gulf challenges early to mid 2023. Mainly during the period between March and July, an uncharacteristic number of operational engine issues were reported to have occurred after consumption of Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oils (VLSFO) bunkered in the US Gulf Coast, and even since then similar issues continue to be intermittently reported. Please find the statement here.
Tim Wilson, Chair CIMAC IRSG, comments: “The CIMAC WG7 – Fuel working group formed the Incident Response Sub-Group (IRSG) specifically to address high profile fuel quality incidents, such as this US Gulf case. It has the unique mutual benefit of being able to combine the collaborative willingness of some six testing agencies and their analytical data sets, combining with feedback from the affected vessels, any feedback from the supply chain and in addition, the cross-industry technical expertise of the WG7. This makes for unique forum of technical expertise for addressing such fuel quality issues. The outcome of this collaborative approach is to provide a more balanced and considered position on any such fuel quality incidents. The objective of the IRSG is to be able to take possible forward steps to seek measures to minimise the risk of such incidents reoccurring, by working with those in authority, where practically possible.”