Additionally, the shipping sector does not want to be used and seen as a disposer of waste products in illegal activities. These practices are not only harmful to the marine environment, but also to the vessel’s crew who may be exposed to dangerous substances. In most bunker ports, there is currently minimal control of the quality of marine fuels and the presence of substances that are prohibited in them.

Subsequently, we as a maritime sector argue for a structural solution to prevent illegal admixture practices, thus striving for quality bunker fuels. Transparency and reliability in the entire bunker supply chain are essential to accomplish this – as is the case when we fill up our car at a petrol station. Shipowners want to be able to act in good faith.

A licensing system must also prevent prohibited harmful substances being illegally mixed with marine fuels.

Singapore – the world’s largest bunker port – has been operating a bunker licensing system for a number of years already. Bunker suppliers there have to regularly renew their license and comply with stringent requirements concerning quality and quantity.

Since proposals for an IMO-associated bunker licensing system have not got off to a good start, the KVNR has initiated various national and international consultations about the possible introduction of a licensing system in the ports of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp (ARA). Rotterdam and Antwerp, in particular, are the largest bunker ports in Europe. Therefore, it is logical to set up the first licensing systems in these ports. This can then be rolled out to other ports in Europe and beyond.

Partly at the insistence of the KVNR, this permit system may call for bunker barges to install annually calibrated and certified ‘mass flow meters’ from 1 January 2023 onwards. This should go a long way to improve accuracy and to reduce disputes about the quantity of fuel delivered – also in the interest of transparency.