Fuel Oil Specifications

Table 1: Requirements for marine distillate fuels
Characteristic Unit Limit Category ISO-F- Test Method
         DMX  DMA  DMB  DMC  Reference 
Density at 15°c kg/m³  max.     890,0  900,0  920,0  ISO 3675 / ISO 12185 
Viscosity at 40°c mm²/s  min.
max. 		 1,40
5,50 		 1,50
6,00 		 -
11,00 		 -
14,0 		 ISO 3104
ISO 3104 
Flash Point °c  min.
max. 		 -
43 		 60
- 		 60
- 		 60
- 		 ISO 2719
ISO 2719 
Four Point (upper)
Winter quality
Summer Quality		 °c   
min.
max. 		  
-
- 		  
-6
0 		  
0
6 		  
0
6 		  
ISO 3016
ISO 3016 
Cloud Point °c  max.  -16  -  -  -  ISO 3015 
Sulphur % (m/m)  max.  1,00  1,50  2,00  2,00  ISO 8754 / ISO 14596 
Cetane Index    min.  45  40  35  -  ISO 4264 
Carbon Residue on 10% (V/V) distillation bottoms
Carbon Residue		 % m/m  max.  0,30
- 		 0,30
- 		 -
0,30 		 -
2,50 		 ISO 10370
ISO 10370 
Ash %(m/m)  max.  0,01  0,01  0,01  0,03  ISO 6245 
Appearance Clear & Bright  5)  -  See 7.4 & 7.5 
Total sediment, existant %(m/m)  max.  -  -  0,10  0,10  ISO 10307-1 
Water %(V/V)  max.  -  -  0,3  0,3  ISO 3733 
Vandinium mg/kg  max.  -  -  -  100  ISO 14597 / 1P 501 / 1 P470 
Aluminium plus silicon mg/kg  max.  -  -  -  25  ISO 10478 / 1P 501 / 1P 470 
Used lubricating oil (ULO)                     
Zinc mg/kg  max.  15  15  15  15  IP 501 / IP 470 
Phosphorus mg/kg  max.  15  15  15  15  IP 501 / IP 500 
Calcium mg/kg  max.  30  30  30  30  IP 501 / IP 470 
The fuel shall be considered free of ULO if one or more of the elements Zn, P and Ca are below or at the specified limits. All three elements shall exceed the same limits before a fuel shall be deemed to contain ULO. 



Table 2: Requirements for marine residual fuels
Characteristic Limit Category ISO-F- Test Method
      RMA RMB RMD RME RMF RMG RMH RMK RMH RMk Reference
Density at 15°c
kg/m³
max.		 30
960,0		 30
975,0		 80
980,0		 80
991,0		 80
991,0		 380
991,0		 380
991,0		 380
1010,0		 700
991,0		 700
1010,0		 ISO 3675 /
ISO 12185
Kinematic Vicosity at 50°c, mm² max. 30,0 30,0 80,0 180,0 180,0 380,0 380,0 380,0 700,0 700,0 ISO 3104
Flash Point °c min. 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 ISO 2719
Pour Point (upper)
Winter quality °c
Summer Quality °c		  
max.
max.		  
0
6		  
24
24		  
30
30		  
30
30		  
30
30		  
30
30		  
30
30		  
30
30		  
30
30		  
30
30		  
ISO 3016
ISO 3016
Carbon Residue, %(m/m) max.

 10

 10

 14

 15

 20

 18

 22

 22

 22

 22

 ISO 10370
Ash, %(m/m) max. 0,10 0,10 0,10 0,10 0,15 0,15 0,15 0,15 0,15 0,15 ISO 6245
Water, % (v/V) max. 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 ISO 3733
Sulfur, %(m/m) max. 3,50 3,50 4,00 4,50 4,50 4,50 4,50 4,50 4,50 4,50 ISO 14597 / 8754
Vandinium mg/kg max. 150 150 350 200 500 300 600 600 600 600 ISO 14597 / IP 501
Total Sediment
Potential, % (m/m)		 max.

 0,10

 0,10

 0,10

 0,10

 0,10

 0,10

 0,10

 0,10

 0,10

 0,10

 ISO 10307-2
Aluminlium plus Silicon
mg/kg		 max.

 80

 80

 80

 80

 80

 80

 80

 80

 80

 80

 ISO 10478
Used lubricating oil (ULO)


Zinc, mg/kg - 15 IP 501/IP 470
Phosphorus, mg/kg - 15 IP 501/IP 470
Calcium, mg/kg - 30 IP 501/IP 470

The fuel shall be considered free of ULO if one or more elements Zn, P and Ca are below or at the specified limits. All three elements shall exceed the same limits before a fuel shall be deemed to contain ULO.


Above: INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 8217:2010 (E) Petroleum Products - Fuels (Class F) - Specifications of marine fuels. 

In 1982, the Working Group responsible for the development of the international standard issued the Draft Proposal of what became ISO 8217 “Petroleum products - Fuels (class F) - Specifications of marine fuels”. Issued at the same time was the Draft Proposal of  ISO 8216 “Petroleum products - Fuels (class F) - Classification Part 1 - Marine Fuels”. The first edition of these standards was published in 1987. In 1989, BS MA 100 (the first reference for marine bunker fuel) was updated so that it was identical to ISO 8217. Further editions of ISO 8217 followed in 1996 and 2005 and in June 2010 a fourth iteration was released.
 
ISO 8217: 2010 represents a significant advance over the 2005 version. The changes are designed to promote the safer use of residual and distillate fuels, recognising the fact that the industry is entering into a new realm of multi-blend products driven by increasing environmental regulation. Furthermore, users are given better protection against the supply of poor quality fuels. Additionally, the supporting standard, ISO 8216, dealing with the classification of marine bunker fuel, has been updated to reflect the changes to ISO 8217.
 
It should be noted that in some countries, gas oil and diesel oil are produced for the local land-based market to a national specification. Included in such a specification is usually a minimum flash point and this value may be below that required by international legislation for normal marine use. 

 
Summary of fuel specification
 
For distillate and residual fuels there are limits on the newly added parameters of acid number and hydrogen sulphide, although the latter will not be applied until mid 2012. For distillate grades, oxidation stability and a lubricity requirement have been introduced whereas for residual fuels, Calculated Carbon Aromaticity Index (an indicator of ignition delay) and sodium content are new additions. Limits for ash and vanadium have been tightened and there has been a reduction in limits for aluminium plus silicon, also known as cat fines.
 
A PDF detailing the scope of changes in ISO 8217: 2010 versus ISO 8217: 2005 can be viewed by clicking here

If you would like to read more about the implications of the changes to the standard, you can access further articles by clicking here and here.
Request Information
 
Quick Contact




Approvals held within the Kittiwake Group