Iso 8217 Fuel Standard 2010

[Demetrius Dade]

Thelatest version of the internationally recognised standard for marine fuel specification, ISO 8217, has been released by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This seventh edition, ISO 8217:2024, is one of the most significant revisions to date, featuring substantial updates to grades and parameters, new terminology for bio products, and the addition of two tables to categorise residual marine fuels. These tables distinguish between fuels with sulphur content up to 0.5% (predominantly VLSFO) and those above 0.5%, as well as a table for bio-residual marine fuels.

To maintain best practices, it is crucial to ensure that charterparties and bunker contracts clearly specify the required version of fuel standards, the fuel grade, and any modifications to the reference standards for the fuel being supplied. This helps mitigate the risk of bunker disputes.

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The new version of ISO 8217, published on 30 May 2024, introduces several changes in fuel categorisation, testing methods and parameters. These updates reflect the industry's transition towards renewable marine fuels due to increasing environmental regulations. The inclusion of biofuel blends in this new edition, along with additional testing requirements, will support this transition. The ISO8217-2024 standard has significant updates compared to the 2017 edition.

All tables state that the general requirements clauses 5 to 10 must be met: Incorporating this into the tables means that fuel must meet the whole of ISO 8217 and not just the respective tables depending on the fuel grade.

These updates reflect the evolving landscape of marine fuels and the industry's move towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly options. As fuel is sold and bought based on different versions of the ISO 8217 standard, the benefits of this new standard will only be available if the fuel supply is based on this new standard.

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There are several significant changes in the sixth edition of ISO 8217 to address current industry trends: the addition of a new class of distillates allowing for bio-fuel blends; the introduction of further cold flow checks for distillate fuels; and a change of the scope (Clause 1) to allow for inclusion of hydrocarbons from synthetic or renewable sources.

There have also been substantial amendments to the general requirements (Clause 5) and the allowable sulphur content in distillate fuels has been lowered. A number of informative annexes have been deleted.

The sixth edition introduces DF (Distillate FAME) grades DFA, DFZ and DFB which allow up to 7% fatty acid methyl ester(s) (FAME) content by volume. Other than the 7% FAME allowance, these grades are identical to the traditional DMA, DMZ and DMB grades for all other parameters.

The DF grades have been introduced to allow for greater use of automotive diesel in the marine distillates pool, which is expected to improve fuel oil availability in some ports which may otherwise struggle to provide fuels complying with a 0.10% sulphur limit to ships. The 7% upper limit is in line with the maximum content in road diesel in most countries, and the FAME in the DF grades have be in accordance with the requirements of EN 14214 or ASTM D6751 at the time of blending.

Additional requirements have been included for distillate fuels to protect ships against cold climate operability issues which have been experienced since the introduction of 0.10% sulphur limit in emission control areas (ECAs) in 2015.

In response to these concerns, the sixth edition has introduced a requirement to report cloud point (CP) and cold filter plugging point (CFPP) in DMA/DFA and DMZ/DFZ winter grades. There is no limit specified; only a requirement to report to let the operator know in advance if the fuel will need heating.

Only DMX, a specialist niche product mainly intended for emergency generators, has limits specified for CP.

For summer distillate grades (DMA/DFA and DMZ/DFZ) the only defined cold flow property is pour point (PP). Residual fuels (RF) also have specific PP limits, but RF cold flow properties have not been an issue as such fuels are kept in heated storage tanks.

This has been amended to address the evolving composition of fuels. Hydrocarbons from synthetic and renewable sources are similar in composition to and in practice indistinguishable from petroleum hydrocarbons.

References to contaminants have been modified and simplified. Clause 5.2 now states: The fuel shall be free from any material at a concentration that causes the fuel to be unacceptable for use in accordance with Clause 1 (i.e. material not at a concentration that is harmful to personnel, jeopardizes the safety of the ship, or adversely affects the performance of the machinery).

Sulphur limits have been reduced for several distillate grades. The sulphur limit for DMA and DMZ has dropped from 1.50% to 1.00% by mass. The same limits apply to the bio-blend equivalent DFA and DFC. DMX is unchanged at 1.00% maximum sulphur.

The reduction in sulphur limits is mainly in recognition of market trends, as these fuels rarely exceeded the new upper limits. The new limits do not correspond to any current statutory limits with the exception of DMB, which at 1.50% is in line with the current limit for passenger vessels on regular service between European Union ports (outside ECAs) until 2020.

ISO 8217:2017 has not been able to address some of the issues arising from the introduction to the market of several marine fuels that do not fit into the ISO 8217 marine distillate table, designed for designed for operation in emission control areas (ECAs) with maximum 0.10% sulphur fuels.

Quality concerns specific to these less conventional types of fuel, not fitting traditional marine distillate specifications, is expected to become even more pressing with the 0.50% sulphur limit in 2020. The ISO/TC 28/SC4/WG6 has already started the process of analysing the needs.

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On 1 January 2020, new reduced limits on sulphur in fuel oil brought about a 70% cut in total sulphur oxide emissions from shipping, ushering in a new era of cleaner air in ports and coastal areas by using less polluting fuels.

The upper limit of the sulphur content of ships' fuel oil was reduced to 0.5% (from 3.5% previously) - under the so-called "IMO 2020" regulation prescribed in the MARPOL Convention. This significantly reduces the amount of sulphur oxide emanating from ships.

"Through 2020, just 55 cases of 0.50% compliant fuel being unavailable had been reported in IMO's Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS)," said Roel Hoenders, Head of Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency at IMO (see FONAR reports section below).

"Given that more than 60,000 ships plied the world's oceans in trade last year, this was a remarkably low percentage of ships encountering difficulty in obtaining compliant fuel. We had a great deal of preparation during 2019 and before, from all stakeholders and all indications are that there have been no significant issues with supply of low sulphur fuel oil."

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, cargo-carrying ships have continued to deliver goods and commodities, including essential foods and medicines, around the world and the introduction and implementation of IMO 2020 did not cause any disruptions in trade.

Compliant fuels include very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) and marine gas oil (MGO). Some ships limit their air pollutants by installing exhaust gas cleaning systems, also known as "scrubbers". This is accepted under the MARPOL Convention as an alternative means to meet the sulphur limit requirement. Around 3,100 systems have formally been reported to IMO as an approved "equivalent method" by Administrations (flag States), by the end of 2020.

The majority of ships trading worldwide switched from using heavy fuel oil (HFO) to using VLSFO. Generally speaking, these are new blends of fuel oil, produced by refineries to meet the new limit, in accordance with IMO guidance and ISO standards.

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