Platts to launch low sulfur Americas bunker assessments

Platts proposes to introduce low sulfur bunker fuel assessments for 180 CST and 380 CST bunker fuel for all assessed US and Canadian ports, reflecting bunker fuel containing a maximum of 1% sulfur.

These new assessments would be launched on June 1 2012, in advance of the US and Canada Emissions Control Area, which is scheduled to take effect on August 1.

Platts will launch these new assessments for Charleston, Houston, Los Angeles, Montreal, New Orleans, Norfolk, New York, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle and Vancouver. These assessments will appear on Platts Global Alert pages 978, 982 and 993, as well as in Platts Bunkerwire.

All Platts bunker assessments will continue to generally reflect specifications defined by the International Organization for Standardization in document ISO 8217:2005 - Specifications of Marine Fuels. New ISO standards issued in 2010 have not yet become commonly reflected in most bunker supplies around the world. Platts continues to review traded specifications.

Please send comments or queries by May 18 to americas_products@platts.com and pricegroup@platts.com.