The Italian refiner Saras launched its very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) in early September, with its sails now having topped 120,000 tonnes, following the implementation of IMO’s 2020 sulphur cap regulation.
Specifically, the Italian refiner is targeting 550,000 tonnes of VLSFO and 180,000 tonnes of marine gasoil (MGO) in annual sales, as Reuters reports.
Massimo Vacca, planning, benchmarking and sustainability manager for Saras, stated that the flexible and complex refinery configuration allows cost effective VLSFO production.
Saras , operating the 300,000 barrel per day Sarroch refinery located in Sardinia, is able to produce a 380-cst specification and has so far received “very positive feedback from its clients and no complaints concerning the stability of its VLSFO,” Vacca said.
Concluding, Reuters recently reported that global supplies of marine fuel compliant with the new environmental rules are increasing fast as concerns over quality remain marginal.
