SUBSCRIBER NOTE: Platts renames, updates USGC 3%S fuel benchmark from Jan 2017

With effect from January 3, 2017, S&P Global Platts has updated the specifications reflected in its benchmark US Gulf Coast 3%S physical residual fuel oil assessment to reflect RMG 380 3.5%S quality fuel oil, as per ISO 8217 specifications.

Platts has also renamed assessment as "USGC HSFO" and standardized its name across all publications.

These changes follow a review of the existing specifications announced May 27, 2015, and a formal proposal announced July 14, 2015. Platts confirmed this decision in a subscriber note published October 6, 2015, and republished on October 19, 2016. The republished note can be found here: http://www.platts.com/subscriber-notes-details/26573921

This assessment will continue to be published under the product code PUAFZ00.

SPECIFICATION UPDATE: The USGC HSFO assessment reflects residual fuel oil intended for end-use by the bunker sector to meet maritime fuel demands. The specifications include the following parameters:

Sulfur max 3.5% Gravity Min 11.2 API Viscosity max 380 CST at 50 C Vanadium max 300 ppm Al+Si max 80 ppm Flash point min 60 C Pour point max 30 C Water max 0.5% Ash max 0.1%

NAME UPDATE: Platts has renamed this assessment "USGC HSFO" and standardized the name of the assessment across all publications. This assessment was previously published in the Platts price database under the data code PUAFZ00, in Platts US Marketscan as "No. 6 3%" in its "Gulf Coast" table, in Oilgram Price Report as "Gulf Coast No. 6 3.0%S (Waterborne) Fuel Oil," in Latin American Wire as "Fuel Oil 3%S," and in North American Crude and Products Scan as "Resid 3%."

For questions or comments, please email americas_products@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com.

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