Company launches additional fuel testing service
March 2009
GMT Technical Manager Andrew McEwen (left) with Operations Manager Paul Livingston and Sales and Marketing Manager, Andrew Shaw
Guardian Marine Testing Limited has introduced a new service designed to provide further protection for ships against potentially damaging fuels.
The company's primary business is to test fuels used by ships, to confirm that they are safe to use. However, the international standard requires only certain characteristics to be met. Now, GMT has developed a system for detecting chemical contaminants in the fuel.
Sales and Marketing Manager Andrew Shaw said: "Our testing service is vital because it allows our clients to use the fuel with confidence that they will not damage or destroy their engines; endanger the crew or create environmentally damaging exhaust."
"However, there are occasional incidents when a fuel appears to be perfectly in accordance with specification but causes serious problems when the ship burns it. In some cases it has been known to cause complete power failure. It would be catastrophic if a crude oil carrier was drifting off a coastline somewhere.
"When the fuel is then investigated further after the incident, it can be found that it is contaminated with chemicals."
The company, which began trading in May 2008, has responded by launching ChemScan, which will allow its team to test fuel samples for chemicals and report the findings to the client in the same time frame as the usual testing.
Andrew said: “This will, no doubt, give in 99% of cases a clear result but it’s the one per cent which we are looking to identify and catch before the fuel is used."
* The company has also achieved ISO 9001 approval. Paul Livingston who is the Operations Manager said: "Every business wants to gain approval and maintain ISO 9001, which shows any prospective client that they have controlled procedures covering the way they work. In our case, that covers not only office work but also the laboratory work and testing which we provide."
"We were delighted to gain it on our first attempt!"