Marine or ship fuel is created from petroleum distillation and can be accumulated as a distillate or a residue. It comprises long hydrocarbon chains, like alkanes, cycloalkanes, and aromatics. The fuel oil is commonly referred to as Heavy fuel oil, or HFO, which is widely used by commercial vessels. Since the fuel oil is heavier than gasoline and naphtha, it is often called the “heaviest commercial fuel.”

Approximately 100,000 massive ships are plying the world’s seas, carrying 80-90% of cargo exchanged internationally. Most of these vessels’ engines run on heavy fuel oil, a byproduct obtained from crude oil refinement. From a technical standpoint, this fuel type is broken down into marine distillates and residual marine fuel. It’s worth noting that while there is a quantity difference, items in both groups include distillate.