CM Technologies (CMT) has issued warnings regarding fuel quality at various ports, including Antwerp, Rotterdam, Houston, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Piraeus, about the potential dangers of substandard fuels. These issues include the presence of additional catalytic particles, insufficient fuel stability, high levels of deposits, and low flash points.
Rising Prices and Fuel Quality Issues
CMT analysts pointed out that although wars cannot be directly attributed to specific cases of contaminated fuel, changes in the availability and supply of blending components are significant factors that ship managers must consider when managing fuel quality. In August, VPS identified factors related to Middle Eastern conflicts as one of the main reasons for rising fuel prices and declining quality, issuing 29 warnings about fuel quality in the first seven months of 2026, 72% of which were related to catalytic particle issues and fuel stability.
High Rates of Fuel Quality Non-Compliance
Data published by West P&I in September 2026 showed that the technical non-compliance rates for heavy fuel oil (HFO) were 46.2% in Antwerp, 41.4% in Norfolk, 38% in the Panama Canal area, and 35.5% in Rotterdam. The report also identified high rates of sulfur non-compliance in very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) samples in Rotterdam and Antwerp, although the samples examined were relatively small.
Fuhlbrügge, one of CMT's experts, emphasized that the findings highlight the necessity for ship managers to pay more attention to the quality of fuels delivered to ships. He stated, "Fuel quality should never be taken for granted. The consequences of errors in this area can be very costly, not only in terms of machine repairs but also in terms of time spent resolving issues caused by clogged filters and damage to components."
In July, warnings were also issued regarding high abrasive content in HFO supplied in Houston and the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp area, serious concerns about fuel stability in Piraeus, and low flash point fuels in Hong Kong and Singapore.
