Did you know that your 2020 fuel strategy will have a great impact on your vessel's steam balance? You might have a potential risk on board. Here's why. Your vessel's steam plant is balanced in a carefully calculated way. It's designed to supply just the right amount of steam to meet the demand of your vessel's consumers. If your steam balance is thrown off it increases the risk of operational problems. So let's look at what happens if you change to compliant fuels in response to the 2020 sulphur cap. Your fuel line components settling tank, service tank, separators and fuel conditioning module are some of the biggest steam consumers on board. That's because HFO needs heating to be pumpable and to achieve a viscosity low enough for the engines. Compliant fuels may have a significantly lower viscosity so they often require less heating. However, it isn't always so simple. Some compliant fuels are paraffinic and have a high pour point which means they can turn into wax if they cool. And once they do, it’s hard to return them to fluid form. These fuels need to be heated at all times and in all fuel storage tanks which may actually increase the steam demand. When you change to a compliant fuel you must adjust your steam supply in the right way. Otherwise, the imbalance could lead to severe consequences in certain circumstances. Too much steam will require the vessel to slow down if it has too little dump capacity on board or if the existing dump condenser fails. Most often, the solution is to add a second dump line. But too little steam can lead to wax formation and the clogging of fuel lines. In this case, the ideal solution is to boost steam plant capacity for example through auxiliary engine waste heat recovery. Adapting your steam balance will keep you on the safe side. Do you need help adapting your steam balance for compliant fuels or other factors? Contact us or read our solution paper.