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OW Bunker, one of the world’s leading resellers and physical distributors of marine fuel, today announced that it has installed a Coriolis flow meter on one of its refuelling barges in Rotterdam.

OW Bunker is the first independent physical fuel distributor to use the technology when supplying customers in the region, as it looks to ensure increased accuracy in measuring the quantity of product delivered.

The new technology will be subjected to a rigorous trial period before being offered as a standard feature to customers refuelling in Rotterdam.

Jens Maul Jørgensen, Director Bunkers, Oldendorff Carriers, a leading German ship owner and customer of OW Bunker, commented: "With fuel accounting for the majority of a vessel’s operating costs, it is critical that we are supplied with the right quantity that we have ordered. Clearly technology is the best method to ensure this, and we are pleased to see OW Bunker invest in Coriolis flow meters, creating the best possible infrastructure and processes to provide a high quality physical distribution solution. It is a good example of how the bunkering industry continues to develop and sets a benchmark for which quality standards should be measured against."

The Coriolis flow meter has been installed on the 2009-built double-hulled bunker barge Valsinni, one of the vessels operated by OW Bunker in Rotterdam.

The barge has a tank capacity of 3150 metric tonnes (mt) and supplies customers with low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) at a rate of up to 600 mt per hour.

Following a comprehensive testing period, the Valsinni will be the only supplier-controlled barge in Rotterdam equipped with Coriolis flow meter technology to measure the quantity of fuel supplied to a receiving vessel.

Commenting on the development, Vincent De Vos, Managing Director, OW Bunker Netherlands, said: "Implementing a Coriolis flow meter on one of our vessels is an important strategic investment for our physical distribution operation in Rotterdam. It is a genuine differentiator within the market for a fuel distributor to be able to demonstrate real added value for customers through increased efficiency generation and by ensuring product quantity. We are confident that following our trials with Valsinni, our customers will benefit from our rigorous approach to ensuring a quality fuel distribution solution."

Jan Christensen, Vice President, Physical Distribution, OW Bunker, added: "Globally, OW Bunker has been pioneering the use of Coriolis flow meters for more than seven years, because we remain committed to providing our customers with a quality and efficient physical distribution solution. We need to look at every opportunity, including investment in technology and innovation as a means of maximising efficiencies both in our own supply processes as well as our customers' operations."

Image: Coriolis flow meter.