Rumours on compulsory use of bunker mass flow meters in Chinese ports
Overview
Bunker fuel traders in China say the use of mass flow meters at local ports is increasing amid growing expectations their usage will become mandatory in the near future.
Singapore was first in demanding mass flow meters for delivery of bunker of bunker to reduce the possibility of fraud, but now China can be on its way with similar measures, writes Shipping Herald.
But the use of mass flow meters will become increasingly common… government agencies have been encouraging suppliers to adopt and install MFMs for bunkering operations,” a Shanghai-based trader said, adding that the use of MFMs was already common in the bunkering of fuel to ships not registered in China.
“MFMs may become mandatory for all bunkering operations in the near future,” the source added.
No official data on the use of MFMs in China has yet been made available. However, a major bunker supplier in the Chinese market said Friday that “around half our barges are fitted with mass flow meters.”
“The government has yet to make a decision on the use of MFMs, but there is talk in the market that it will happen eventually,” a Chinese trader said.
However, some traders doubted the use of MFMs would become the market norm in the short to medium term.
“There’s no such announcement from the government yet, and it would be an assumption to say it would happen soon,” another Chinese trader said.
VPS Bunker Alerts
Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) publish regular Bunker Alerts based entirely on fuel samples and have kindly permitted BIMCO’s Members to access this information.
The Bunker Alerts are not intended to be an evaluation of overall bunker quality in the port or area concerned, but usually highlight a specific parameter within the fuel which has raised a quality issue.
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