Heavy fuel oil (HFO) is a category of fuel oils of a tar-like consistency. Also known as bunker fuel, or residual fuel oil, HFO is the result or remnant from the distillation and cracking process of petroleum. For this reason, HFO is contaminated with several different compounds including aromatics, sulfur, and nitrogen, making emissions upon combustion more polluting compared to other fuel oils.[1] HFO is predominantly used as a fuel source for marine vessel propulsion using marine diesel engines due to its relatively low cost compared to cleaner fuel sources such as distillates.[2][3] The use and carriage of HFO on-board vessels presents several environmental concerns, namely the risk of oil spill and the emission of toxic compounds and particulates including black carbon. The use of HFOs is banned as a fuel source for ships travelling in the Antarctic as part of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code).[4] For similar reasons, an HFO ban in Arctic waters is currently being considered.[5]
- ^ McKee, Richard; Reitman, Fred; Schreiner, Ceinwen; White, Russell; Charlap, Jeffrey; O'Neill, Thomas; Olavsky Goyak, Katy (2013). "The toxicological effects of heavy fuel oil category substances". International Journal of Toxicology. 33 (1 Suppl): 95–109. doi:10.1177/1091581813504230. PMID 24179029.
- ^ Bengtsson, S.; Andersson, K.; Fridell, E. (13 May 2011). "A comparative life cycle assessment of marine fuels: liquefied natural gas and three other fossil fuels". Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part M: Journal of Engineering for the Maritime Environment. doi:10.1177/1475090211402136. S2CID 110498596.
- ^ DeCola, Elise; Robertson, Tim (July 2018). "Phasing Out the Use and Carriage for Use of Heavy Fuel Oil in the Canadian Arctic: Impacts to Northern Communities" (PDF). Report to WWF Canada.
- ^ "Polar Code". www.imo.org. Archived from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
- ^ MEPC 72 (2018). Report of the Marine Environment Protection Committee on its Seventy-Second Session.