Delta Echo Trading & Consulting Ltd was established in 2014 by marine professionals with more than 30 years of experience in the industry and is currently based in Piraeus, Greece.
Due to the practice of blending FAME into automotive diesel and heating oil, it is now more common and indeed inevitable, that some distillates supplied in the marine market contain FAME. FAME can lead to complications with respect to storage and handling in a marine environment, due to its increased level of oxidation tendency, long-term storage issues or shorter shelf life, it’s affinity to water and risk of microbial growth. Additional issues regarding FAME’s degraded low-temperature flow properties and FAME material deposition on exposed surfaces, including filter elements, also add to the fuel management concerns. Therefore, testing for the presence and levels of FAME within marine distillates, is a highly recommended practice.
Fuel Contamination, a potential hazard
Since fuels in the emergency equipment storage tanks remain unused for long periods of time, quality of such fuels may deteriorate due to the following:
Water can originate from contaminated fuel or condensation, and engines may not run because of water in the fuel lines. The presence of water can promote growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast and fungi, and can also lead to blockage of fuel lines and filters due to icing when ambient temperature drops below 0°C.
Microorganisms (bacteria, yeast, fungi) – Given the correct conditions in fuel storage systems, micro-organisms can grow and multiply. Bacteria, fungi and yeast are living organisms which may be present in fuel storage tanks and in particular where water is allowed to build up. Distillate fuels are more prone to bacterial infection. Microbial infection can lead to slimy deposits in tank bottoms, plugging of filters, pitting corrosion on fuel tank bottoms or at oil water interface and injector fouling.
Gas Oil Stability – Many different chemical reactions can cause a gas oil to be unstable. Instability can lead to sedimentation and eventually to the formation of gums. Instability is usually indicated by a colour change over a period of time.