Wilhelmsen Ships Service has moved to an agreement with Hitachi High-Tech, to offer the company’s handheld XRF sulphur content analysers to the maritime market. This technology helps vessel crews test the sulphur content in their fuel in detail.
Mainly, Hitachi High-Tech’s XRF spectrometers offer upstream and downstream quality control, requiring little sample prep, minimal training and providing verifiable results.
Additionally, in order to limit the risks of non-compliance during changeovers, the on-board testing equipment lessens the reliance on the traditional bunker delivery note, enabling crews to check the sulphur content of fuel during bunkering, rather than potentially having to deal with potential fuel specification issues after the fact.
Jonas Östlund, Product Marketing Manager, Oil and Water, Marine Products Wilhelmsen Ships Service noted
Crews will be able to eliminate the risk of accidental non-compliance. As vessels approach Emission Control Areas (ECAs), with a lower 0.1%, permissible sulphur content limit, the engine room can immediately and accurately test the Sulphur content of the fuel flowing to the engines after changeover and ensure it is compliant.
As the IMO’s 0.5% global sulphur regulation is approaching, and will come into force on January 1, 2020, the ability to perform rapid tests will become crucial for crews and authorities, as Wilhelmsen stated.
