The global shipping industry plays a vital role in transporting goods across oceans. However, the fuel powering these massive ships - called bunker fuel - has serious environmental and health consequences that are often overlooked.

What is Bunker Fuel?

Bunker fuel, also known as fuel oil or heavy fuel oil, is a type of fuel oil used aboard ships. It is thick, tar-like and high in sulfur - containing up to 3,500 times more sulfur than the diesel fuel used in cars and trucks. Bunker fuel is primarily made up of residues left over from crude oil distillation, containing large amounts of heavy hydrocarbons and other contaminants. Due to its high viscosity, bunker fuel requires heating before it can be pumped and burned within ship engines.

Composition and Properties

The chemical composition of Bunker Fuel varies but it consists mainly of hydrocarbons with carbon chains of 20 carbons or more, asphaltic materials and many other components. Its viscosity can range from as thick as tar at ambient temperature to easily flowing at higher temperatures. Moreover, bunker fuel has a very high sulfur content - up to 3.5% by weight - which is why emissions from its combustion contain large amounts of sulfur dioxide. The residual nature of bunker fuel also means it contains many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, some of which are known carcinogens and mutagens.

Health and Environmental Impacts

Due to its composition and properties, bunker fuel has significant negative impacts when burned:

- Air Pollution: Emissions from bunker fuel combustion are a major source of air pollution globally. Sulfur dioxide emissions produce acid rain which damages forests and aquatic ecosystems. Particulate matter from ship exhaust can cause respiratory illnesses.

- Human Health: Populations living near ports and along trade routes are disproportionately affected by elevated levels of air pollutants linked to cancer, heart and lung diseases from ship emissions. Medical studies have found higher instances of these illnesses among such populations.

- Climate Change: Greenhouse gases like nitrogen oxides emitted from burning bunker fuel contribute to global warming. Carbon dioxide emitted by international shipping each year is equal to Germany's entire emissions.

- Water Pollution: Fuel spills during bunkering and accidental tanker spills contaminate marine environments with toxic components in bunker fuel that harm aquatic life.

Usage and Supply

- Bunker fuel accounts for approximately 77% of the world fleet's energy supply and 90% of marine fuel consumption. An estimated 260 million tons are burned each year worldwide to power cargo vessels, oil tankers, container ships and cruise liners.

- The top five bunker fuel consuming ports are Singapore, Fujairah, Rotterdam, Shanghai and Houston, indicating the importance of fuel supply at major global trade hubs. Bunker fuel is a global commodity supplied by a network of bunkering companies and brokers.

Regulation and Alternatives

- Due to environmental and health pressures, the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) has progressively tightening sulfur limits in marine fuel. The global sulfur cap was reduced to 0.5% this year from 3.5% previously.

- With the cost of low-sulfur compliant fuel substantially higher than high-sulfur bunker varieties, the industry is exploring alternative fuels like liquefied natural gas and biofuels made from waste oils. Hybrid electric and hydrogen fuel cell powered ships are also being tested.

- Developing infrastructure for alternative fuels and installing exhaust cleaning systems remain key challenges. Meanwhile, a carbon tax and more ambitious IMO targets are needed to speed the transition away from heavily polluting bunker fuel use.

While bunker fuel will likely still be used for years, the shipping industry's efforts to adopt cleaner technologies are crucial from both an environmental and human health perspective. Reducing bunker fuel consumption through efficiency gains and curbing emissions present an opportunity to balance shipping needs with sustainability. However, overcoming technical and financial hurdles will require coordinated global action from regulators, ports, and vessel owners. The future of this vital transport sector depends on transitioning away from its current dependency on the dirty energy source that is bunker fuel.

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