Ship operators are facing a growing risk from fuels that appear compliant under routine ISO 8217 testing but still present operational risks once onboard, class society Lloyd’s Register (LR) warns. LR’s new analysis reveals that the biggest fuel quality risks are no longer confined to off-specification fuels, with some compliant fuels creating operational challenges.
The findings are outlined in LR’s latest Fuel Oil Bunker Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) Fuel Quality Report for the first half of 2026.
According to the report, the biggest fuel quality risks are no longer confined to off-specification fuels. The latest FOBAS Fuel Quality Report finds ISO-compliant fuels are increasingly causing operational problems.
LR highlights that some of the most disruptive cases now involve fuels that pass routine compliance testing but show poor stability or compatibility, or contain non-conventional blend components that are only identified through more detailed investigative analysis.
Several incidents investigated highlighted this trend. In March and April, a number of vessels reported operational difficulties after bunkering fuel in a major bunkering hub.
Murray Kirkwood, fuel specialist consultant, Lloyd’s Register, said: “The findings from our latest report show that fuel quality risk is evolving. The challenge is no longer simply identifying fuels that fail specification. Increasingly, operators are encountering fuels that meet the required limits but still create operational difficulties once they are stored, handled and used onboard.
“As fuel blending becomes more complex, the distinction that matters is increasingly not between on-spec and off-spec fuel, but between fuels that are operationally resilient and fuels that are operationally fragile. Understanding that difference is becoming essential for shipowners and operators.”
The report concludes that operators will need to adopt a more proactive approach to fuel management as marine fuels become more diverse and fuel quality risks become harder to identify through routine compliance testing alone.
