Industry Consolidation?
Are bunkering companies rushing to integrate?
Industry Consolidation
One of the current buzzwords of the bunker business is ‘consolidation’. But, asks Adrian Tolson of BLUE Insight, are we really seeing a rush by some industry players to aggregate demand or is the true picture of the sector a much more fragmented one?
Interview: Christoffer Berg Lassen
Christoffer Berg Lassen, COO of Bunker Holding, talks to Lesley Bankes-Hughes about the group’s approach to the marine fuels sector of today – and of tomorrow
Environmental Regulations
The IMO’s EEXI and CII measures were approved at MEPC 76. While reactions to these decisions from within the shipping community have been varied, there are a number of retrofit solutions already available that can facilitate compliance. Lesley Bankes-Hughes reports
New Fuel Notations
The emergence of alternative fuels for shipping comes with the all-important challenge of developing classification rules and notations that will ensure their safe use across the industry. As Olivier Cartier, VP Technical at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, explains, this process requires close collaboration between class societies and the industry
Bunker Disputes
Edward Liu and Zoe Zhang of Hill Dickinson offer a perspective on bunker disputes arising from time charters
Market Focus: UK
The UK bunker market appears to be weathering the disruptions of COVID-19 and Brexit as it squares up to the deccarbonisation challenge. Ian Taylor reports
Market Focus: Malta
Malta may be small, but its strategic location makes it an important part of the Mediterranean bunker market. Ian Taylor reports
Fuel Quality: VLSFO
The VLSFOs included in an Innospec study all exhibited some onboard instability. Joshua Townley discusses the issues associated with these fuels and the impact on vessel operations
Fuel Sampling
The subject of the MARPOL bunker sample continues to stoke discussion in the industry. Here, Gunnar Kjeldsen of Bureau Veritas VeriFuel argues that vessel operators should discontinue the practice of taking their own ‘MARPOL’ samples
Fuel Additives
Albert Leyson of Drew Marine looks at how post-IMO 2020 operating conditions are demonstrating the importance of maintaining adequate fuel lubricity to protect ships’ fuel injection equipment
Electrofuels
Ricardo’s Victor Andres Martinez believes that producing zero carbon electrofuels in South Africa can both benefit the local economy and support the drive for maritime decarbonisation
LNG Bunkering
- Ioannis Generalis of Harris Kyriakides surveys the ongoing debate over the use, and regulation, of LNG as a marine fuel
- Oddmund Føre argues that the good intentions of the ‘IMO 2023’ carbon intensity regulations pose a green paradox for LNG carriers
Decarbonisation
- Chester Lewis of E4tech looks at the pathways open to shipping to meet its 2050 targets
- Diane Gilpin of Smart Green Shipping argues that shipowners are growing increasingly receptive to using technologies like wind propulsion
- Marie Cabbia Hubatova of Environmental Defense Fund believes that MEPC 76 showed a lack of ambition on short-term measures, but the discussion on mid-term measures suggested there might be a brighter future ahead
- A new report from Shipping Strategy surveys national decarbonisation policies
Blockchain
Julian Clark of Ince explains how blockchain technology has the potential to make a transformative impact on shipping, particularly in terms of regulation and compliance
