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Angry reactions to US sulphur verification policy
Bunker community vents frustration at discrepancy between IMO guidelines and globally accepted methodology for interpretation of sulphur test results.
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There seems to be a gap in understanding of ISO 4259. In the Standard the reproducibility only applies to a single test result. ISO 8217 informative Annex F, F5 Resolving disputes) points the reader to ISO 4259 Clause 10, which is the ISO procedure for establishing the true result is case of dispute. In this procedure the sample is tested at two different laboratories and the average value taken as the true result. Even under this procedure if the sulphur limit was 1.00% and the result 1.02% then the fuel would not be compliant with Marpol. So, in effect the method to establish the true result in ISO 4259 and Marpol Annex V1 procedure are much the same. Which ever method you use the reproducibility that can be used only for a single test result has no significance after two tests have been made.
Trust this clarifies the situation.
Chris Fisher
It is important that a test method is selected that is sufficiently precise to determine whether or not the product satisfies the specifications.
This is symptomatic of the dysfunctional US and EU governments and support bureaucracies, with all their salaries and benefits paid by the taxpayers, while we have tens of millions of unemployed, and bankrupt states like California (or Greece, or Spain, or...) that cannot pay its employees.
Just like Eugen Ionesco's theater of the absurd, just that we have to pay the bills.
Unless the marine bunker community takes a united stance with IMO, EPA, etc. to mass-refuse compliance with concocted "look good" requirements, we will see this ridiculous job-killing and shipping business destruction continue.
Anybody volunteering to lead the effort?