Bunker Contamination Crisis Hits Singapore As Ships Hit With “Blackouts”

I said sabotage, because I know you could supply filters to these ships with compromised fuel filters, that would do it...even if the fuel met spec.

If something like this happens, a proper investigation is to retrieve the fuel filters for analysis.

https://www.maritimemanual.com/bunkering-in-ships/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3677LiwXRDQ

https://www.marineinsight.com/guidelines/how-to-select-marine-fuel-oil-and-factors-necessary-for-fuel-oil-system-on-merchant-ships/

See this picture, you can see the sample collection pipe coming out of the coupler, that thin pipe in the picture.

Chlorinated hydrocarbons (HCL, capital L) are usually toxic. Some are used in petrochemical processes as feedstock for certain plastics. Others are undesirable byproducts removed during product purification. and require hazardous wastes disposal by incineration.

One well known HCL is ethylene dichloride that was once widely used in vapor degreasing but was regulated out of existence for this use because of its carcinogenic hazard. It is still used for manufacturing a class of plastics.

I don't think combustion itself would form HCl. I think that chloride in the exhaust gas though would contact water in the form of air humidity and form HCl hydrochloride acid. At the least, service life of exhaust ducts could be reduced due to corrosion.

As far an engine though and having the reported 2000ppm HCLs chlorinated hydrocarbons in the HSFO, what I think could occur long term is damage to certain metal parts. Chlorides + high temperature damage various metallurgies. Examples…. 300 series stainless steels can get chloride stress cracking and fail, not good. 400 series stainless steels work fine. IIRC, Hasteloy, Inconel and Monel are also incompatible with high temps and chlorides. Seal and gasket materials would also have to specified for compatibility to chlorides.

It's a theory and unknown at this time as far as I can tell. The direct answer though is yes, it is possible. I wouldn't call it as a loophole that could be exploited as hazardous substances are strongly regulated and have been for years. Bad, greedy, stupid people work their schemes. All sorts of reasons including plain ol’ screwups and such.

With this situation on the www.gcaptain.com radar, they are very good at tracking high profile maritime events whether it's days, weeks or several years with updates. I'll post up if I catch an update.

Just as it stands now with what is publicly known, I expect that the costs involved will in the several hundreds of million $$$. Delayed shipping, ships loosing power, engine repairs increasing out of service downtime, fuel swap out and system cleaning, etc.

It wouldn't surprise me if some of the ships involved end up declaring Force Majure by being rendered unseaworthy due to engine repair downtime radically affecting on board container delivery time and costs. To me, this is one of the unknowns floating out there.

Where ever those ships make their next port, they will not be allowed to depart without a very thorough inspection by Port and Flag authorities, owners and insurers. Any of these parties can take a ship out of service pending repairs, etc.

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