Explore the Usage of Bunker Fuel and Know about Their Different Types
High-end development of containerization and rise in the use of containers ships have made the shipping industry adopt a number of convenient yet effective drifts. In the marine industry, fuel is often considered as one of the most significant outlays. However, Bunker fuel was in use in the industry even 7–8 decades ago and it used to be treated as the primary power source for any engine in any vessel.
Well, if you are quite familiar with the shipping world, it’s pretty likely that you would be conversant with the term ‘bunker’ too; after all, it’s one of the primary costs that the carriers bring on. Now, the question remains, which bunker fuel is used in ships for high seas. Ships that are quite large in size and the ones that travel the high seas often tend to use heavy fuel oil. But, with the new norms and regulations coming into play by the next year, it might pose a threat to many ship owners. There is a great possibility that this will prompt most of the vessel owners to switch to marine gas oil which would probably meet the standards of new norms. The reason is simple though! The sulfur content of marine gas oil is quite low.
And, when it comes to recreational vessels that are smaller in size and have rear-mounted rotor engines installed in them, regular diesel can be the best-suited option. It’s just the same fuel available at the petrol pumps and generally, it’s used in heavy goods vehicles and cars. Nevertheless, this is actually not the sole choice open to craft owners. The user of rebated gas oil, commonly known as red diesel, has also been dictated in HMRC regulations. At the same time, it’s not illegal to buy red diesel for impulsion purposes.
In a nutshell, we can say that any oil that’s used in the machinery of a vessel is known as bunker oil or bunker fuel. The different types of bunkers used in a passenger or commercial vessel are as follows-
· Heavy fuel oil bunker is basically the leftover obtained during the process when crude oil is processed into diesel and gasoline. It is pretty cheap and contains highly impure substances which, in turn, crops out a significant amount of exhaust gases with an untoward impact on the environment. Emission of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide is certainly not a salutary outcome and thus, the use of the fuel has been debarred in certain regions.
· The next is diesel oil bunker. An amalgamation of gases and heavy fuel oil, marine diesel is quite economical and the lower operating temperature of the substance protracts the engine life of the vessel to a great extent. Still, the fact that the fuel has a high sulfur content has paved the way for different limitations in its usage.
· Marine Gas oil bunker, on the other hand, is the marine fuels that contain distillates to a significant level. Concentrates, commonly known as distillates, are all those constituents of the crude oil that dissolve in small distillation and are then precipitated from the gas form into liquid elements. It can also be stated that marine gas oil is quite similar to diesel oil but, it comes with higher concentration limits. Simultaneously, unlike heavy fuel oil, heating up marine gas oil during storage is not mandatory.
· Lube oil bunker is meant for engines or machines.
· Last but not the least; the marine industry has started taking recourse to Liquefied Natural Gas as a fuel for vessels. And, this step may work well against the impact the conventional fuels such as diesel could have on the environment.
According to Allied Market Research, the global bunker fuel market is expected to grow at a significant CAGR from 2018–2025. Rising offshore hydrocarbon exploration activities in offshore regions like Asia-Pacific has played a major role in the growth of the market. Moreover, IMO’s mandates & injunctions of the sulfur cap for marine fuels drive the market growth. On the other hand, several fuel reduction edges instilled by the shipping community are expected to check the growth to some extent. However, rising oil and gas exploration activities tend to downplay the factor and create a number of opportunities for the key players in the industry.
A type of fuel oil delivered to ships that are involved in international navigation, bunker fuel was quite popular a fuel option in the marine industry. But, with the new regulations on board, the growth seems to be bogged down to a certain degree. Still, considering the fact that the oil-producing regions have uncharted funds and capitals, which are enough to cater to the increasing energy demand is projected to positively hit the demand for shipping vessels.
