Mass flow meters become mandatory in Ceuta

The Spanish port of Ceuta has made mass flow meters (MFMs) mandatory for all bunker deliveries by barge from this month onwards.

PHOTO: Bunkering being carried out in Ceuta using MFM. Port of Ceuta

MFMs are specialised devices installed on barges to ensure precise and transparent fuel measurements during bunkering. By accurately measuring bunker fuel, they help reduce errors and disputes between suppliers and buyers.

Ceuta has become the first Mediterranean port to mandate ISO-certified Coriolis MFMs for marine fuel supply. Unlike standard MFMs, which estimate flow based on volume and density, Coriolis MFMs measure mass directly using fluid-driven tube vibrations, offering greater accuracy.

The adoption of MFMs is growing as they enhance transparency and minimise quantity-related disputes in fuel deliveries.

The Antwerp-Bruges and Rotterdam port authorities plan to mandate the use of MFMs in Antwerp, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge by 2026. Singapore has already mandated their use for bunker deliveries since 2017. Meanwhile, bunker supplier TFG Marine added an MFM to the 15th vessel in its fleet last year.

By Tuhin Roy

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