Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) has opened a new marine fuel testing laboratory in Shanghai, China, expanding its global network as demand for bunkering services in Chinese ports continues to grow.

The facility, located in Shanghai’s Lingang New Area, is the sixth laboratory in VPS’s global network, joining existing facilities in Rotterdam, Singapore, Fujairah, Houston and Manchester.

VPS noted that Shanghai has emerged as one of the fastest growing marine bunkering hubs and that the port is expected to play a key role in the future supply of both traditional fossil fuels and emerging low-to-zero carbon fuels. It added that the investment is intended to reduce turnaround times for fuel quality testing and provide locally based technical expertise to vessel owners, operators, charterers and fuel suppliers operating in China and across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

Dr Malcolm Cooper, CEO at VPS, commented: “VPS is pleased to announce the opening of our new Shanghai laboratory, which will provide fuel quality testing for bunker fuels, including methanol. China is central to the global shipping industry, being the world’s largest shipbuilder, producer of shipping containers and operator of the biggest commercial fleet. Shanghai is therefore the perfect home for our latest laboratory, as VPS is the world’s leading fuel testing company.”

Andrew Morton, VPS managing director for AMEA, stated: “The opening of our new laboratory in Shanghai’s Lingang New Area positions VPS at the heart of one of China’s most important maritime and industrial growth hubs. This investment reflects our confidence in the Chinese maritime market, our commitment to supporting customers closer to where they operate and our belief that Asia will remain at the forefront of shipping’s energy transition.”

In addition to fuel quality testing, the Shanghai laboratory will offer advisory services related to regulatory compliance and fuel performance — areas VPS notes are becoming increasingly complex as the shipping industry adopts a broader range of fuel types.