Research and consultancy firm CE Delft have published a report on the reliability of the quantity of bunkers supplied to the Port of Rotterdam and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The firm said various parties in the bunker chain had informed both the Port of Rotterdam and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges that there were problems regarding the supply of bunker fuels. “There are regular disputes between the bunker transporter and ships about the amount of fuel supplied,” it said. “To investigate the extent and nature of these complaints, both the (State) Harbour Master and the Ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges commissioned CE Delft to investigate the experiences of the parties active in the bunker market at both ports.”
“In addition, both port authorities would like insight into the contribution and mandatory use of a mass flow metre bunkering system on board bunker vessels towards solving these potential quantity problems in the Port of Rotterdam,” said CE Delft.
The results of the study were based on extensive consultation with all types of parties active in the bunker market in Rotterdam and/or Antwerp-Bruges.
Both ports said they were told from different sides that there would be regular problems regarding the supply of bunker fuels. To investigate the extent and nature of these complaints, the port authorities commissioned CE Delft to look into the experiences of the parties involved in the bunker market. The study was conducted through interviews and surveys.
The conclusion was that there were similarities between the two ports and there were structural quantity problems in the bunker market.
Two-thirds of stakeholders interviewed and more than 90% of survey respondents saw the introduction of the mandatory use of an official bunker measuring system on board bunker vessels as a solution to quantity problems. A bunker measuring system measures the amount of fuel delivered in real time rather than calculating it from tank level measurements on board the bunker vessel.