Definition
Marine gas oil is a distillate fuel: clear, low-viscosity and needing no heating. ISO 8217 groups the distillates as DMX, DMA, DMZ and DMB, with DFA, DFZ and DFB variants that may contain biodiesel (FAME). DMA is the most used, with a maximum density of 890 kg/m³ at 15 °C, and is what the trade usually means by MGO.[1]
MGO is the default compliant fuel inside emission control areas, where the sulphur limit has been 0.10% since 1 January 2015 — hence "LSMGO". Ships also carry it for auxiliary engines and for manoeuvring, and many smaller vessels burn nothing else.[2,3]
Distillates are not trouble-free. VPS points to short deliveries achieved by overstating density on the bunker delivery note — the volume measured converts to fewer tonnes than paid for. Witness the soundings or flowmeter readings, and compare the declared density with the sample result.[1]
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Sources
- [1] VPS — Distillate fuels: the trouble-free marine fuel? (PDF, 2025) — https://www.v-p-s.com/sites/default/files/2025-05/article_-_distillate_fuels_the_trouble-free_marine_fuel.pdf
- [2] REMPEC — Introduction to MARPOL Annex VI (PDF) — https://www.rempec.org/en/knowledge-centre/online-catalogue/1-introduction-to-marpol-annex-vi.pdf
- [3] IMO — IMO 2020: cutting sulphur oxide emissions — https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/HotTopics/Pages/Sulphur-2020.aspx
A working definition for buyers, not legal advice — the contract, the convention text and your club or class have the last word.