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Supply of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel to RRS James Cook

National Oceanography Centre

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

ContractTermination

02 Jul 2026 at 08:09

UK11 - Contract Termination Notice
Award

25 Jun 2026 at 13:39

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

10 Jun 2026 at 13:38

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

10 Jun 2026 at 13:24

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The National Oceanography Centre, a sub-central public authority based in Southampton, UK, recently concluded the procurement of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel for the RRS James Cook vessel. This procurement process involved a direct award contract under the Procurement Act 2023, highlighting the purchase of a standardised commodity product compliant with EN 15940 regulations. The tender proceeded through a direct award due to the nature of HVO fuel as a standardised commodity purchased on a competitive basis with the award granted to Crown Oil Ltd. The contract, valued at £870,000 GBP, was signed on 24th June 2026, with a delivery deadline of 25th June 2026. The scope included the supply of 350 metric tons of HVO fuel, ensuring compliance with European and UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) sulphur content thresholds.

This contract represents a significant opportunity for firms specialising in fuel supply, particularly those with the capability to supply EN 15940-compliant HVO fuel while meeting the associated sustainability certifications such as ISCC/RSB. Businesses benefiting from this opportunity typically include oil suppliers and distributors with access to the necessary logistics for road tanker delivery to ports. Participating in contracts like this one could provide substantial growth opportunities for suppliers ready to meet strict regulatory compliance and sustainability standards, thus enabling them to bid competitively in future tenders within the public maritime sector.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Supply of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel to RRS James Cook

Notice Description

The National Oceanography Centre has awarded a contract to Crown Oil Ltd for the supply of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel to RRS James Cook (IMO No. 9338242), berthed at Southampton, UK. The contract is for the supply of 350 metric tons (approximately 437,000 litres) of HVO fuel, delivered by road tanker wagon (RTW). The fuel must comply with the EN 15940 standard and must not contain palm oil or palm oil sludge. Sulphur content must comply with the latest EU and MCA regulations, with a maximum sulphur content of less than 5% by volume. The fuel must have a flash point in excess of 60 degrees Celsius. At the time of bunkering, the supplier must provide a copy of the fuel specification, fuel samples, and a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) to the Chief Engineer. A Bunker Delivery Note (BDN) must be provided stating the quantity in metric tons and the specific flashpoint value if below 70 degrees Celsius, or confirmation that the flashpoint has been measured at or above 70 degrees Celsius. The following sustainability documentation is required: proof of sustainability of the biofuel component (certified by ISCC/RSB), a biofuel delivery statement, and the Emission Factor (CF) value for the Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (fuel grade) in t-CO2/t-Fuel. The contract was awarded by direct award under the Procurement Act 2023. The contract award notice was published on 10 June 2026, the standstill period ended on 22 June 2026, and the contract was entered into following expiry of that period.

Procurement Information

HVO fuel is a standardised commodity product defined by EN 15940, a published European technical standard for paraffinic diesel fuels. The specification for this requirement is set entirely by that market standard and by regulatory compliance obligations (EU and MCA sulphur content regulations), rather than by any buyer preference or bespoke requirement. Any supplier able to deliver EN 15940-compliant HVO with the required sustainability certifications (ISCC/RSB) is capable of fulfilling the contract, and the product itself is not meaningfully differentiable between compliant suppliers. The justification in paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to the Procurement Act 2023 applies where a contract is for goods purchased on a commodity market. It does not require that the contracting authority buy the goods on a commodity market or transact through a commodity exchange. It requires only that the contract is for goods of a kind purchased on a commodity market, which this contract pertains to. The requirement was competed through a competitive quote exercise conducted among multiple suppliers, with award made on the basis of best price received. The fuel is required for the operational bunkering of RRS James Cook at Southampton ahead of a scheduled departure, making this a time-critical requirement against a fixed delivery date of 25 June 2026. For these reasons, the procurement qualifies for direct award under the commodities justification: the goods are traded on a commodity market, the specification is determined by an established market standard, and the authority has nonetheless conducted a competitive process to secure best value.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b1d1
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/062004-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK11 - Contract Termination Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

09 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy

CPV Codes

09100000 - Fuels

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£870,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
£870,000 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
10 Jun 20262 months ago
Contract Period
24 Jun 2026 - 30 Jun 2026 30 days
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Terminated

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
National Oceanography Centre
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SOUTHAMPTON
Postcode
SO14 3ZH
Postcode Area
Southampton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ32 Southampton
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Southampton
Electoral Ward
Bargate
Westminster Constituency
Southampton Itchen

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Crown Oil Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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