The Importance of Flashpoint

One of the issues affecting the UK shipping industry at the moment is the supply shortage of marine gas oil. But is there a viable alternative? Inland gas oil is more readily available than marine gas oil, and often cheaper, but it is generally NOT permitted for use at sea. The reason for this is that marine gas oil and most inland gas oils have differing minimum flashpoints (60°C and 55°C respectively), i.e. the lowest temperature at which fuel can vaporize to form an ignitable mixture in air.

The statutory rules on flashpoint are set in the IMO SOLAS regulations, and also in the ISO 8217 global fuel specifications. Serious safety issues are raised when fuel does not comply with marine fuel flashpoint requirements, and the problem can result in the de-bunkering of a vessel (other less potentially dangerous quality issues, such as viscosity, can usually be managed onboard). There have been calls within the shipping industry to reduce the minimum flashpoint limit of marine gas oil, in line with inland gas oil. However this could result in more co-mingled stock and an increased risk of the introduction of FAME or bio-fuel, neither of which are permitted in marine gas oil.

It seems likely that the marine gas oil shortage will get worse from 2015, when bunker fuel oil will be subject to new IMO regulations: the sulphur limit will be lowered to 0.1% (it is currently 1%) for fuel burnt in Emission Control Areas (the English Channel, North Sea, Baltic and 200 nautical miles around the USA and Canada). As the only real alternative to bunker fuel oil, global demand for marine gas oil is expected to jump from 15 to 45-60 million tonnes per year as the new sulphur regulations take effect, thereby exacerbating the current supply shortage.

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