Platts confirms new US al+si specs for April 2012

Following industry feedback, Platts will lower the metals specifications for its US Atlantic Coast and US Gulf Coast residual fuel oil 1% sulfur and 3% sulfur assessments, and its US Atlantic Coast 2.2% sulfur assessment, to 80 parts per million aluminum and silicone (al+si) maximum starting April 2, 2012.

Platts initially proposed this change in a subscriber note published on August 31, 2011.

The current US Atlantic Coast 1% sulfur assessment is based on 120 ppm al+si, while the 2.2% and 3% assessments are based on 100 ppm al+si.

For the US Gulf Coast, the 1% sulfur residual fuel oil assessment currently reflects 120 ppm al+si and the 3% residual fuel oil assessment 100 ppm al+si.

The move to lower metal in the US Atlantic and Gulf Coast areas reflects moves in the bunker fuel markets toward lower sulfur and metals specifications in the US in 2012.

Please send any additional feedback or questions to americas_products@platts.com and pricegroup@platts.com.