---

Leading bunker supplier and trader OW Bunker has said that mass flow metering could become an industry standard for fuel suppliers.

In a statement issued today, OW Bunker said: "Mass flow meters represent an essential element of further professionalising the fuel supply industry and continuing to build trust with ship owners and operators."

OW Bunker was one of the early adopters of mass flow meters when it installed the technology on vessels within its global fleet five years ago in order to further enhance its quality control processes.

"Based on the positive results, the company believes that over time, the technology could become an ‘industry standard’ for fuel suppliers as a means of helping customers to drive further efficiencies within their operations, and continuing to increase professionalism in bunkering," OW Bunker said.

The company points out that mass flow meters would have to be formally approved under the European Union’s Measuring Instruments Directive (MID) in order to achieve industry standard status.

Commenting on the advantages of using mass flow meters, OW Bunker said: "Mass flow meters provide the most sophisticated, quick and accurate method of measuring the amount of fuel oil that is transferred during the bunkering process. Despite this, many suppliers within the industry continue to use manual tank gauging and sounding on a widespread basis. Mass flow meters also supersede - particularly in relation to the ease of installation and price - positive displacement flow meters."

Søren Christian Meyer, Global Sales Director at OW Bunker stated: “Clearly the process of widespread adoption and installation across the industry will take time, but it must be recognised as the right progressive move that customers want to see.

“It makes good sense on every level. Mass flow meters make life easier for the crews of both the bunker barge and the receiving vessel, and the customer receives a full service solution that ensures the quantity of fuel oil delivered, creating a smoother and faster bunkering service. Ultimately this increases efficiencies within our customers’ operations, which is an absolute priority for us in adding as much value as we possibly can.”

OW Bunker said that it found mass flow meters to be particularly beneficial when conducting high seas and offshore bunkering - a service that OW Bunker has specific expertise in, where swells or rough waves make sounding difficult.

However, while OW Bunker believes that mass flow meters represent the future in fuel quantity measurement, the company also thinks that further modifications need to be made to the technology by the manufacturers that are pioneering it.

“In our experience, mass flow meters are very accurate, however, there are still certain developments that need to be made as part of the continual R&D and evolutionary process,” said Steffen Kortegaard, Technical Director, OW Bunker.

“The meters are very sensitive towards external stress, vacuum and pressure pulsations, as well as pulsations in the fuel oil that come from gear pumps or engines that are nearby. Despite this, these issues are not insurmountable, as mass flow meters clearly represent the most accurate method of calculation in what is a highly complex process,” added Kortegaard.