Since the development of Mass Flow Meter bunkering in Singapore, the volume of bunkers lifted using MFM’s have increased. Ship owners are now more receptive to the idea of MFM bunkering and there are some who only lift bunkers with MFM’s involved ahead of the mandatory use of MFM’s due date in Singapore, 1st January 2017. The guidelines set out by Singapore Technical Reference TR48:2015 place emphasis on Traceability of measurement, System integrity and Metering Procedures. These comprehensively lead to the operation of MFM bunkering to be within the variance of the expanded uncertainty level of 0.5%. Fuel buyers enjoy the benefits of transparent and accurate bunker delivery receipts and fewer disputes. The developments in Singapore have led to ship owners requesting for MFM bunkering in other ports. Both Metcore International as well as Lloyd’s Register have received many enquiries from suppliers of ports outside of Singapore to assist in MFM installation and system accreditation.

Having successfully helped two of ExxonMobil’s tankers in Hong Kong, MT Anshing and MT Anelly, to attain accreditation, Lloyd’s Register and Metcore were engaged with the three tankers in the port of Fujairah. The full accreditation process that Metcore guided the tankers through are not limited to ensuring tanker readiness in meeting system integrity and documentation requirements, getting the crew equipped with MFM competency and achieving Meter in – Meter out (MIMO) tests results within 0.2% was the main aim. “The stakeholders are beginning to appreciate the importance of the technical reference on MFM bunkering as it assures them of the system integrity and operation consistency,” said Darrick Pang, managing director of Metcore International.

“As an RO (Recognised Organisation) Lloyd’s Register is uniquely placed together with Metcore and A*STAR NMC in ensuring MFM system accreditation is carried out in line with best practices as outlined in TR 48 in other Ports apart from Singapore,” said Douglas Raitt, Lloyd’s Register Regional Consultancy Manager. The five tankers that have been independently accredited in Hong Kong and Fujairah by Lloyd’s Register together with National Metrology Centre and Metcore International will set the precedence for other ports. In forthcoming years, with demand from fuel buyers driving uptake of MFM systems, the industry will see more independently accredited tankers in accordance to TR48:2015, in different ports around the world.
Source: Metcore International