One year left to equip barges with MFM's in ARA

Mass Flow Meter, why wait?

From 1 January 2026, the use of a bunker measurement system for bunker vessels in the ports of Antwerp-Bruges and Rotterdam will be mandatory. From this point onwards, bunker vessels in the two ports must have a certified system that indicates the exact amount of fuel they are delivering to seagoing vessels.

What is the trigger for this change?

Several stakeholders in the bunker supply chain have informed the Port of Antwerp-Bruges about recurring issues with bunker fuel deliveries in Antwerp and Zeebrugge. Discrepancies between the bunker transporter and the receiving ship regarding the delivered fuel quantity are common.

However, no single stakeholder group or cause can be pinpointed as the sole reason for these bunker quantity issues. While bunker suppliers and transporters are often seen as the primary parties involved, it is recognised that other stakeholders such as receiving ships, intermediaries like bunker surveyors, and authorities also contribute to the problems.

According to consultancy firm Blue Insights 3% or about $150 million per year of the bunkers recorded as delivered at the ship in Rotterdam alone were never actually pumped into the ship.

Measuring quantity

The initial measurement to take is the remaining on board (ROB) volume in the barge's tanks. For bunker and dirty petroleum product (DPP) barges, this volume tends to be higher than in clean petroleum product (CPP) barges. This is due to the increased density of DPP, which makes it more challenging to fully empty the barge. As a result, it is not uncommon for DPP barges to sail with a few tons of product still on board.

The second measurement point is the Bill of Lading (BL) quantity, which indicates the tonnage actually loaded from the land tank onto the barge.

The third measurement point occurs when the surveyor measures the tanks after loading has been completed.

The fourth measurement point is the quantity of product received by the vessel from the barge, as reported by the receiver.

Causes of quantity disputes

The specific causes may vary depending on the nature of the quantity dispute. These can include both intentional and unintentional errors in measuring tank levels or determining the amount of bunkers delivered

Due to the numerous factors influencing bunker quantity—such as temperature, density, low and very high viscosity products, and flow changes during the operation (including empty piping at start and stop, and air formation, known as the 'cappuccino effect')—the process is complex and prone to errors in total quantity, whether intentional or unintentional. Even a small error can result in significant financial losses for an owner.

Potential loss

For example a 1% difference on the total quantity of a 4.000 tonnes bunker supply of bunker fuel costs $500 p/t x 40 tons = 20.000 USD.

Currently in inland barging a generally ‘accepted’ quantity difference is 0.3%. Which means no-one will investigate how the difference happened. But it could mean a potential loss for the supplier of 0.3% per delivery.

Surveyors

In most bunker deliveries, surveyors currently perform measurements. However, these services may no longer be required after the installation of mass flow meters. An earlier article by S&P Global highlighted that bunker surveyors are exploring alternatives in countries where mass flow meters are not yet mandatory.

Bunker Quantity

The conclusion is twofold: there are similarities between the ports and there are structural quantity problems in the bunker market. 80-90% of the survey respondents recognise the issues outlined.

65% of stakeholders interviewed and over 90% of survey respondents see the introduction of the mandatory use of an official bunker measuring system on board bunker vessels as a solution to quantity problems.

Mass Flow Meter

A mass flow meter measures the amount of fuel delivered in real time rather than calculating it from tank level measurements on board the bunker vessel (the methodology currently used as standard). A mass flow meter is a device which is used to measure the mass flow rate of a liquid fluid traveling through a tube/pipe. The mass flow rate is the mass of the fluid traveling past a fixed point per unit time.

Costs Mass Flow Meter

The cost of installing a mass flow meter is estimated at €300,000 to €350,000. Without one, a bunker barge or company will not be permitted to conduct bunker operations. Larger companies are better positioned to finance this investment, while smaller companies may struggle due to their narrower profit margins.

There are some suppliers who already preferred mass flow meters on barges and likely covered the installation costs. Some barge owners may seek long-term contracts to justify the installation, but without these meters, it will be challenging to operate in the dirty petroleum product (DPP) market.

Another driving factor will be market conditions and relationships. Some suppliers may state mass flow meters are mandatory, requiring barge companies or owners to cover the cost. However, this could lead to higher time charter (TC) rates to offset these investments.

Singapore

The Netherlands and Belgium Ports are following the lead of Singapore who started making mass flow meters mandatory as from 2019. However the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore provided a $50.000 lumpsum incentive for each fitted mass flow meter system for eligible bunker tankers. On top of that Singapore provides a tax relief for bunker suppliers' expenses incurred in the purchase and installation of mass flow meters.

Until now Belgium and The Netherlands have not installed such subsidies to support the barge owners.

Currently, 40 out of 170 bunker vessels in Rotterdam, Antwerp and Zeebrugge are equipped with a bunker measurement system. The port authorities are therefore aware that this measure will have a major impact on the bunker market. By selecting 1 January 2026 as the start date, the various companies in the bunker chain have sufficient time to adapt to the new measure.

Why wait?

For a delivery of 3,000 tons, a 0.3% error allows for a discrepancy of 10 tons. At a price of $500 per ton, this translates to a loss of $5,000 per trip. Over 100 deliveries per year, this error could accumulate to a significant $500.000. An investment that, if made earlier by the suppliers, could have easily paid for itself.

Installing mass flow meters before 2026 can give both barge companies and oil companies a strategic advantage. Suppliers and customers are more likely to prefer working with companies that already have these meters installed, as they can save money and time by minimising disputes, which can also harm business relationships.