Fuel

[RMYC]

This is a cut & paste from todays RYA newsletter.

Since 1 January this year quayside fuel suppliers have been legally required to supply gas oil that contains a sulphur content of no more than 10 milligrams of sulphur per kilogram of fuel (mg/kg).

Fuel supplied to road vehicles has been subject to this lower sulphur limit for a number of years.

The new limit covers all Non-Road Mobile Machinery a (EU speak) definition which includes inland water-ways vessels and recreational craft that do not normally operate at sea.

Ask for biodiesel free fuel
The fuel you will be supplied with now will still be red but will be virtually sulphur free dependent on where you normally use your boat. However, it is possible that the fuel being supplied could also contain biodiesel. It is important therefore that you ask for biodiesel free fuel when you are filling up.

Biodiesel has strong solvent and detergent properties in its pure form and can cause problems during storage and on certain materials used in fuel system components.

Furthermore if we don’t ask for low-sulphur biodiesel-free fuel then the fuel industry will not be encouraged to produce and supply it.

Why will fuel now contain biodiesel?
Fuel suppliers had originally planned to meet the new requirements largely by supplying road diesel, which does contain biodiesel, with a red marker dye.

By doing this they could avoid the need to produce a third grade of fuel specifically for inland water-ways vessels and recreational craft which was biodiesel-free and low in sulphur.

Whilst most engines are fully compatible with fuel containing biodiesel in the proportion found in road fuel some fuel system components on older engines, in particular fuel seals and pipes, may not be compatible with biodiesel.

Aware that this was could cause potential problems for many boat owners the RYA and the marine industry spent a number of months lobbying producers and suppliers to produce that third grade of fuel.

As a consequence of this pressure many producers and suppliers have now indicated that they will make available a supply of bio-diesel-free sulphur-free diesel. But we need to be asking for it in order to ensure that it is made available.

You will find that there will be a variation in the specifications of fuel supplied to recreational craft, with high-sulphur biodiesel-free fuel, sulphur-free biodiesel-free fuel and sulphur-free fuel with some biodiesel content all being available on the market.

Supply is not therefore going to be uniform around the coast. So it is important that you ask at the pump what specification of fuel it is that you are buying and whether it contains biodiesel.

What should I do if I have to buy fuel containing biodiesel?
Remove all water from the tanks and check them monthly to ensure that they remain free of water
Tanks that don't already have drain points for removing water are likely to need modification
Examine sight gauges on older fuel storage tanks for signs of leakage and replace any leaking seals
If you are having tanks serviced before you receive the new fuel it would be advisable to replace fuel seals as a one-off, precautionary exercise
Replace fuel filters after two to three deliveries/turnover of the new fuel
Consider fitting dual filters in parallel with a changeover switch in case one blocks
Ensure the content of tanks is turned over every six months or in any event no more than 12 months to help prevent blockage of filters and fuel pipe.
Users of older equipment should examine fuel systems in the months following the switchover and replace seals or pipes with compatible ones if there are signs of leakage