Tested in different engine types aboard five vessels, including tankers Tempera and Mastera, Neste Oil found the product worked without incident in both main and auxiliary engines, and is compatible with middle distillates. Aside from greatly reduced sulphur, the fuel also has a lower NOx content, in line with future emissions legislation.
"The new product is considerably more refined than the usual heavy fuel used on vessels today,” said Olli Vesamo, director of Neste Oil's direct sales. “As a result of improved product quality the new low-sulphur marine fuel keeps the vessel's engine cleaner and prolongs servicing interval of the engine. The fuel's quality also brings savings in operating costs. By using a low-sulphur marine fuel our customers avoid the need to make large changes to their ships, such as installing sulphur scrubbers.”
Neste Oil plans to make the product available by barge at Finnish ports, produced at its Porvoo and Naantali refineries in Finland, as well as exporting the fuel.
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