Hafnia Taps into Total's Expertise for VLSFO Transition

Hafnia is the world’s number one oil product tanker owner and operator. Affiliated with the BW Group, it provides transportation of oil and oil products to leading national and international oil companies, major chemical companies, as well as trading and utility companies.

Hafnia operates a fleet of 182 vessels in pools including newbuilds, of which 104 are owned or chartered-in. The fleet is primarily comprised of Long Range (LR) product tankers (83), Medium Range (MR) product tankers (65) and Handy Size product tankers (27). 

Business challenge

In preparation for IMO2020 Hafnia recognised the need to work with world-class marine fuels partners that would help make its transition to VLSFO fuels as seamless as possible. Central to this was the ability to deliver a high-quality, reliable fuel service – complemented by access to technical guidance and support that would work alongside Hafnia’s in-house expertise.

Key issues

Peter Grunwaldt, Vice President Bunker Procurement for Hafnia, highlights how it was important that Hafnia found partners with shared values – quality, transparency and accuracy.

“The shift to VLSFO presented real challenges for the tanker sector, as it did for the wider shipping industry. We needed partners we could rely on to help us with - and through - that transition period, particularly for our operations in key ports such as Singapore, Antwerp and Rotterdam. For us, it was more than simply finding fuel providers. What was key was to find partners that we could discuss complex matters with openly and in a reliable way.” 

How Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions helped

“The main benefit of this type of relationship with a supplier like Total is greater market insight, enabling us to further improve the service to our customers. We certainly got that from the Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions (TMFGS) team, and we really like the common approach in the way we work, which is rooted in shared values. 

"We found TMFGS very approachable and the combination of dedicated bunker infrastructure as well as their ability to understand and anticipate the wider market, and to tailor pricing, provided a positive and measurable difference to us. We continue to deal directly with the team at TMFGS, which helps us adapt to a changing world.”

Results and benefits

Jesper Rosenkrans, Global Sales and Business Development Director for TMFGS, echoed the benefits that a shared approach to working values and standards has had.

“We were delighted to be able to work with Hafnia as they transitioned to VLSFO. Our business is focused on delivering high-quality solutions to our customers. This means we hold the integrity of our business model very highly, and we thoroughly enjoy working with clients like Hafnia, who value a quality-led solution, which can help them deliver added value for their customers in turn. 

“The relationship with Hafnia is growing, and we are now exploring the potential for delivering new fuel solutions in the future, which is exciting. This could include alternative fuels such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), biofuels and mass flowmeter systems.”