In the Netherlands and Belgium, Manifold Times reports mass flow meter systems became mandatory on January 1 for bunker vessels delivering residual fuels, distillates, and biofuels at the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges. The requirement applies to all licensed suppliers operating in both ports and is intended to improve accuracy, safety, and transparency in marine fuel transactions.
Mass flow meters measure in real time the exact quantity of fuel transferred from bunker barges to seagoing vessels. According to the Port of Rotterdam, the new rule supports more reliable and efficient fuel deliveries while aligning with broader environmental and operational standards.
All bunker operations must now be registered in advance through Portbase, the ports’ digital logistics platform. The mandate follows a 2023 announcement and reflects growing adoption of fuel measurement technologies already in use at other major hubs.
The regulation applies to marine fuels including biodiesel and is part of both ports’ efforts to modernize fuel supply infrastructure. Rotterdam is the largest bunkering port in Europe, with Antwerp-Bruges among the region’s most active, making the implementation of mass flow meters a significant shift for the maritime fuel supply chain in northwestern Europe.
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Category: Sustainable Marine Fuels
