This document in its entirety defines the general requirements and specifications for fuels used in marine diesel engines and boilers, prior to onboard fuel handling (storage, settling, centrifuging, filtration, heating) before use.

For the purposes of this document, the term “fuels” comprises of the following:

• hydrocarbons from petroleum crude oil, oil sands and shale oil;
• synthetic hydrocarbons, renewable hydrocarbons or hydrocarbons from recycled sources, with molecular structures that are indistinguishable from petroleum hydrocarbons;
• fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), where permitted as specified in this document; 
• blends of any of the above, where permitted as specified in this document.

The general requirements and specifications for fuels in this document can also be applied to fuels used in stationary diesel engines of the same or similar type as those used for marine purposes.

This document specifies seven categories of distillate fuels, one of which is for diesel engines used for emergency purposes. It also specifies four categories of residual fuels for sulfur content at or below 0,50 % by mass, five categories of residual fuels containing FAME and five categories of residual fuels for sulfur content exceeding 0,50 % by mass.