燃料油添加剂将迎来全盛时期

中国石化新闻网讯 据1月20日Rigzone报道，彭博社消息，全球船用燃料市场被忽视的一部分，也是曾经被认为对大多数托运人而言没有什么价值的添加剂市场，即将迎来它的全盛时期。

随着新的航运法规要求船东改用更清洁的燃料，添加剂生产商(任何能使燃料变得更粘稠、更润滑或更稳定的东西)正在获利——至少有一些新的低硫燃料所含的成分会随着时间的推移会发生分离，从而可能堵塞设备。

美国化学船运公司Chembulk Tankers LLC的高级副总裁Melbourne Pinks表示：“不使用添加剂是非常不负责任的，就目前而言，添加剂是必不可少的。”

在国际海事组织2020年新规在本月生效之前，这种观点并不普遍。新规要求绝大多数船东放弃高硫燃料，一些新的、更清洁的燃料可能含有沥青质，这会形成油泥，特别是当不同的燃料混合在一起时。

这促使托运人转而使用他们曾经认为没有必要的添加剂，包括改善燃料润滑性的化合物，以及保持燃料稳定和防止其分解的化合物。

美国供应商Innospec Inc.燃料专业部门欧洲、中东和非洲地区副总裁Giorgio de Leonardis表示：“这是有史以来第一次，船运公司对添加剂供应商表示信任，在过去，添加剂供应商并没有良好的声誉，添加剂此前被称之为‘骗人的万灵油’。”

王佳晶 摘译自 Rigzone

原文如下：

Snake Oil Goes Mainstream

An obscure part of the global marine-fuel market, once viewed as having little value for most shippers, is about to have its day.

Producers of additives -- anything that makes fuels more viscous, lubricating or stable -- are cashing in as new shipping regulations require vessel owners to switch to cleaner fuels. At least some new low-sulfur fuels contain ingredients that can separate over time, potentially making them liable to clog equipment.

“It would be very irresponsible not to use an additive,” said Melbourne Pinks, senior vice president at U.S. chemical shipping company Chembulk Tankers LLC. “They are now essential.”

That wasn’t a common view before the new International Maritime Organization rules -- known as IMO 2020 -- came into effect this month, requiring the vast majority of shipowners to ditch high-sulfur fuels. Some of the new, cleaner versions may contain asphaltenes, which can form a sludge, especially when different fuels are mixed together.

That’s prompted shippers to turn to the additives they once passed over as unnecessary, including compounds to improve a fuel’s lubricity and others to keep it stable and prevent it from breaking down.

“For the first time ever, you had the shipping companies trusting the additives suppliers,” said Giorgio de Leonardis, EMEA vice president in the Fuel Specialties unit at U.S.-based supplier Innospec Inc. “Additives suppliers, in the past, did not have a good reputation. They used to be called snake oil.”