Fuel is now the biggest individual cost we have in shipping, forcing many companies to slow-steam to reduce their costs.
It is true that many, probably most Chief Engineers have some fuel hidden onboard. However if the hidden fuel is not given up at the end of the charter, it stops being hidden and becomes stolen.
Bunkers detective survey guarantee that the just in case fuel does not disappear every time the vessel bunkers within the charter, and is it then replenished from the charters fuel once again.
There are many ways to hidden the bunkers: Short bunker delivery, Hidden compartments, Altered sounding pipe lengths, Magic pipes, Altered sounding tables, Sounding tapes not properly calibrated and Surveyors just accepting the Masters ROB as stated.
During last year MTS surveyors have found more than 2.000 tons of bunkers hidden saving that money for our clients.