XOS, a leading manufacturer of application-specific X-ray analyzers, is entering the marine market with a new solution. Petra MAX™, a portable XRF analyzer, delivers a combined analysis of sulfur and harmful elements like calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and vanadium. Unlike other solutions, Petra MAX is fully compliant with sulfur test methods in ISO 8217 for marine fuels.

The decision by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to reduce the worldwide cap on vessel sulfur emissions from 3.5% to 0.5% effective January 2020 will prompt widespread adoption of onboard testing solutions to enable ship owners and operators to test fuel before leaving port and upon entering regulated regions at sea. Penalties for non-compliance can be up to USD 25,000 per day.

Petra MAX delivers rapid and precise sulfur testing with a limit of detection as low as 0.0006%, well below the new regulatory limit. To ensure lab quality results and compliance with methods approved for marine fuel testing (covered under ISO 8217), Petra MAX is fully compliant with ISO 8754, ASTM D4294 and IP 336.

The analyzer can also measure calcium, zinc, and phosphorus at best-in-class LOD which can indicate the presence of used lubricating oils, as well as vanadium which can build up in valves and corrode metal surfaces.