An Introduction to Fuel Analysis provides a guide and reference for those who may not be specialists in marine fuels but who need to understand the terminology and the reporting used in fuel analysis as part of their work.

No two fuels are exactly the same. Quality can change depending on the crude oil and feedstock from which the fuel is derived, on the type of processing it receives at the refinery, and on the way it is stored, blended and delivered to ships. At one time, shipowners used not to worry unduly about the quality of the fuel they were buying. But, in the 1980s, in response to a steady deterioration in the quality of bunkers, the first dedicated fuel testing agencies started to appear. Today, such agencies play a vital role in determining whether fuel is fit to burn, or just another hostage to arbitration or litigation.

This book will help anyone who has any doubts about what can be found in marine fuels and, once found, what to do about it.

Although never a substitute for the huge amount of detail that can be obtained from a professional analyst using a fully-equipped modern laboratory, this book certainly provides a substantial amount of information that should be welcomed and absorbed by anyone involved in any way with marine fuels – whether suppliers, buyers, fuel analysts or lawyers.

This book includes some very useful appendices, a list of abbreviations and a six-language glossary of the words and terms most often found in fuel test analysis reports.