Maritime Glossary
Bunker
Also known as: marine fuel, bunker fuel, bunkering
Fuel used to power a ship's main engine and auxiliary machinery, or the act of taking on such fuel.
Status: ActiveVerified: Source confidence: high (96%)
Full Definition
The term originates from the coal bunkers of early steamships. Modern bunker fuels include Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO/IFO), Marine Diesel Oil (MDO), Marine Gas Oil (MGO), Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), and increasingly LNG and methanol. Fuel is loaded via bunkering barges or shore pipelines. Bunker costs represent 30–60% of voyage expenses for most vessels. IMO 2020 mandated a global 0.50% m/m sulphur cap, driving uptake of VLSFO, scrubbers, and alternative fuels.
Domain Tags
engineeringoperationsdecarbonization