MARPOL Bunker Sample

Representative sample of fuel oil drawn at the bunker manifold during a bunkering operation, sealed jointly by ship and supplier. MARPOL Annex VI Reg. 18.8.1 requires a sample for sulphur compliance verification, and MEPC.1/Circ.864 sets the sampling, sealing, retention (12 months), and chain-of-custody procedures. The sample is the legal evidence of fuel quality and is the only sample admissible in MARPOL prosecutions. Operators draw additional samples for in-service combustion analysis, but the official MARPOL sample is the one decided in case of a sulphur-cap dispute.