Maritime Fuel Quality Concerns and Grain Shipping Surge

## Marine Fuel Quality Concerns Grow Ahead of Year-End According to a new report from Lloyd's Register (LR) FOBAS, the maritime industry is facing a concerning rise in off-specification marine fuel incidents across major bunkering hubs. The LR FOBAS Fuel Quality Report covering July to December 2025 revealed a 'sharp increase' in the frequency and severity of fuel quality problems. 'This late-year surge in fuel quality failures is a worrying trend that shipowners and operators will need to closely monitor,' said LR FOBAS General Manager Sarah Pennington. 'Consistent, high-quality bunker fuel is critical to maintaining engine performance and meeting emissions regulations. The industry must stay vigilant to avoid potential operational and compliance issues.' The report highlighted issues with elevated catalytic fines, poor stability, and out-of-spec viscosity as particular concerns in ports like Singapore, Fujairah, and Rotterdam. Pennington urged shipowners to work closely with bunker suppliers and conduct thorough fuel testing to mitigate these risks. ## Grain Shipments Surge on Strong Soya Bean Exports In other maritime news, global bulk grain shipments have jumped 15% year-over-year in the first six weeks of 2026, according to data from industry analyst Grain Insight. This surge was driven primarily by a 30% increase in soya bean shipments and a 17% rise in wheat exports. 'Record harvests in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in Brazil, are boosting soya bean and other grain exports,' said Grain Insight Chief Economist Liam O'Malley. 'Meanwhile, North American producers continue to ship high volumes of wheat and other grains to global markets.' The strong grain trade is a positive sign for the dry bulk shipping sector, which has faced headwinds from the COVID-19 pandemic and other disruptions in recent years. Shipowners will be hoping the elevated volumes can be sustained throughout 2026 to support freight rates and utilization.