Bunker fuel

Bunker fuel

Bunker fuel or heavy fuel oil is a thick, sludgy, petroleum product that is the leftover after lighter fractions like gasoline and diesel are extracted. It consists of longer chain hydrocarbons. It is commonly used as fuel on ships with steam turbine engines, due to its economic cost and high energy density.

The downside of bunker fuel is that it has more sulfur and other contaminants, creating more hazardous exhaust products when it is burned.