Bunker Delivery Note

A bunker delivery note (BDN) is the document recording the details of fuel oil supplied to a ship — the delivery date, the receiving vessel, the mass of fuel, its density and viscosity, and, critically for emissions compliance, its sulphur content and the supplier's identity. It is mandatory under MARPOL Annex VI, Regulation 18, which requires the BDN to be kept on board for three years and to be accompanied by a representative sample of the delivered fuel, sealed and signed jointly by the supplier and the ship. Port state control and flag inspectors use the BDN and its sample to confirm the fuel meets the applicable sulphur limit.