Singapore, Rotterdam: No Reports (yet) of Cashew Nutshell Fuel Issues

Port authorities in Singapore and Rotterdam said they have not received reports of vessels experiencing problems related to the use of cashew nutshell liquid biofuel - an issue highlighted by fuel testing agency CTI-Maritec last week.

Several ships using the two ports reported operational problems in recent months after using marine fuel blended with cashew nutshell liquid, the Singapore-based agency said on Thursday, adding that the cashew nutshell liquid had come from undeclared source materials or production processes.

The operational problems included fuel sludging, injector failure, filter clogging, system deposits and corrosion of turbocharger nozzle rings.

CTI-Maritec did not name the vessels or shipping lines involved, and it was not clear how many ships were affected.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said on Monday that it would investigate any reports received. Rotterdam port authorities said late on Friday that they had not received reports of such problems.

There is no marine fuel specification available for cashew nutshell liquid from any authorized body, CTI-Maritec said. CTI-Maritec advised ship-owners not to use 100% cashew nutshell liquid as a marine fuel or as a blending component, or unestablished bio-products in marine diesel engines.

It said their use would contravene guidance from the International Maritime Organisation on the supply of fuel oil to ships. Cashew nutshell liquid is a non-FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) biofuel, which is a byproduct of the cashew nut industry. While it has been touted as an alternative renewable fuel, it is highly corrosive. Ship-owners have been exploring various marine biofuel blends as an alternative to dirtier bunker fuels in order to cut emissions.

(Reuters)