New bunker alerts for next generation loss prevention

(Posted on 11/05/21)

A new release of The Swedish Club’s Trade Enabling Loss Prevention tool (TELP), the next generation of loss prevention, has just been launched to Club members.

In addition to real time personalised loss prevention advice, tailored to their location, and voyage profile TELP 2.0 now provides members with targeted Bunker Alerts, warning vessels headed for port of any fuel quality issues that have been reported in the area.

The Swedish Club has partnered with industry leaders, VPS, the largest bunker fuel testing company for ship operators in the world, to provide this new service, which is free of charge to members of The Swedish Club.

Peter Stålberg, Senior Technical Advisor, explains the benefits of the new service: “It’s really all about following best practice, and optimum loss prevention processes,” he says. “A vessel heading for a port known to have fuel quality concerns needs to be extra vigilant. Receiving advance warning of potential issues with fuel quality really puts the spotlight on the importance of good sampling routines.

"TELP is an intelligent system," says Stålberg. “We deliver information only when relevant and timely to the vessel's current voyage pattern. This avoids the danger of information overkill, and coupled with the other personalised services we are able to deliver to members during a voyage – information on dangerous hotspots, correspondents' updates on local issues, and advice on COVID-19 restrictions – we are really seeing TELP coming into its own as a major force in the drive to improve loss prevention.”

Examples of poor fuel quality issues that can be highlighted by the TELP Bunker Advice include cat fines, chemical contamination (for example polymers or corrosive chemicals), high sodium levels, water contamination and fuel that is of too high a density.

TELP is a marriage of the latest AIS technology with solid statistics and expertise built up over years. The Swedish Club uses its capacity to track every one of its members' vessels, matches this with its own statistics and records, and provides members and their vessels with timely, tailored advice when they are approaching areas of particular risk.