The tool used by Maersk Tankers to distribute payments to pool partners based on the bunker consumption of their vessels compared to the pool average has been approved by Lloyd’s Register recently, the company said.

Called Bunker Adjustment, the methodology calculates how much fuel each pool vessel consumes in relation to the pool average and allows Maersk Tankers as a pool manager to distribute payments to pool partners accordingly.

“We use the Bunker Adjustment methodology, as we believe it is the fairest and most accurate way of distributing payments related to bunker consumption to our partners. The third-party verification by Lloyd’s Register speaks to that,” said Ulrich Schittek, Head of Management Services, After Sales, at Maersk Tankers.

Maersk Tankers further said the tool offers a return on investment to pool partners that invest in the fuel efficiency of their vessels, which they can do for instance through applying anti-fouling hull paint or training their crews to operate the vessel in a fuel-efficient way.

The methodology was launched in August 2015 and is calculated by the external performance provider Vessel Performance Solutions (VPS).

Maersk Tankers added that its pool partner platform InSite digital allows pool partners to examine adjustments for the vessels in their pool. Partners can compare the actual consumption of their vessel with the optimal consumption which includes vessel specifics and, for example, the time until the next upcoming drydocking.

Image Courtesy: Lloyd’s Register