Bunker contamination issue linked to Houston supplier

VPS has issued an advisory notice warning that it has detected the presence of Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) and associated isomers at significantly high levels in VLSFO bunker fuel deliveries in Houston.

Using proprietary GC-MS (Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectometer) analytical methodologies, VPS has discovered that DPCD compounds ranging from 3,000 to 7,000 pp, (0.3-0.7%) were present.

The contamination has been identified in fuel deliveries from a single supplier made between March and May 2023.

The issue has caused fuel leakage in ICU (Injection Control Unit) units as well as fuel pumps not being able to develop required fuel pressure. This has resulted in loss of power, and subsequent loss of propulsion at sea, affecting 11 vessels.

The issue has affected both main engines and auxiliary engines, although the majority of incidents have reported failures to auxiliary engines.

VPS cited the example of one customer who reported recurring failures of the fuel pump and fuel injectors of the auxiliary engines, affecting all three auxiliary engines concurrently, resulting in a complete blackout and loss of propulsion. 

The fuel is also reported to have affected the purification system, as the purifiers were unable to remove the high cat fines present in the fuel at normal operating speeds.

DPCDs are unsaturated chemical compounds that can polymerise and oxidise under certain conditions. If the compounds begin polymerising, the fuel becomes more viscous, making it difficult for moving parts, such as fuel pump plungers and fuel injector spindles, to move freely.