---
title: "Supply of (HVO) fuel to RRS Discovery August 2026"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06d913"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06d913"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d913.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d913.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE"
published: "2026-07-31"
---

# Supply of (HVO) fuel to RRS Discovery August 2026

Buyer: NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06d913

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## Summary

The National Oceanography Centre, a public authority in Southampton, United Kingdom, has completed the procurement process for the provision of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel to the RRS Discovery, berthed at Southampton. This contract, under the reference 2026PRNOC-1230, involves the delivery of approximately 210,000 litres of HVO fuel by Standard Fuel Oils Limited, a large supplier based in Liverpool. The procurement was conducted through a direct award method, adhering to the EN 15940 standard, with delivery scheduled to be completed by the 16th of August, 2026. The contract was awarded on a best-price basis and is valued at GBP 349,314. The procurement process has been classified under the goods category and aligns with legal regulations including MARPOL Annex VI and MCA requirements.

This procurement opens up significant opportunities for suppliers in the fuel industry, particularly those who specialise in sustainable biofuels and have the capability to meet the stringent regulatory and environmental standards such as EN 15940 compliance. Businesses equipped with the necessary logistics to manage fuel delivery to ports can find similar contracts advantageous for growth. The demand for certified sustainable biofuels highlights a niche that businesses supplying eco-friendly and regulatory-compliant commodities can tap into, ensuring a steady pipeline of opportunities in government and public sector contracts.

## Notice

Supply of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel to RRS Discovery (IMO No. 9588029), berthed at Southampton, UK. Estimated Quantity required: 210,000 litres. The quantity is an estimate; the final invoiced quantity will be confirmed by the Bunker Delivery Note and the actual density at the point of delivery. Delivery: By road tanker wagon (RTW), to be completed by 16th August 2026. Fuel must comply with the EN 15940 standard and must be derived from used cooking oil (UCO) feedstock only, with no palm oil, palm oil sludge, POME, or animal fats. Sulphur content must comply with MARPOL Annex VI and the applicable MCA requirements, with a maximum sulphur content of less than 5 mg/kg (5 ppm). Fuel must have a flash point of not less than 60 degrees Celsius, in line with SOLAS. The supplier must provide, at the time of bunkering, a copy of the fuel specification, fuel samples, and a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) to the Chief Engineer. A Bunker Delivery Note (BDN) must be provided in the MARPOL Annex VI format, stating quantity in metric tonnes, carrying the supplier's signed declaration that the fuel meets the fuel quality requirements of MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 18. The following sustainability documentation is required: proof of sustainability of the biofuel component, certified under either ISCC or RFAS Heat-Power-Marine (RSB is not required), a biofuel delivery statement, and the greenhouse gas emissions data (carbon intensity or emission factor) for the fuel.

### 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 (MARPOL Annex VI and MCA sulphur content requirements), rather than by any buyer preference or bespoke requirement. Any supplier able to deliver EN 15940-compliant HVO with the required sustainability certification (ISCC or RFAS Heat-Power-Marine) is capable of fulfilling the contract, and the product itself is not meaningfully differentiable between compliant suppliers. 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 Discovery at Southampton ahead of a scheduled departure, making this a time-critical requirement against a fixed delivery date of 17 July 2026. For these reasons, the procurement qualifies for direct award under the commodities exemption: 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.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072830-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 31 Jul 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 30 Jul 2026 |
| Contract period | 15 Aug 2026 - 21 Aug 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £349,314 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Pending |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE |
| Locality | SOUTHAMPTON |
| Post town | Southampton |
| Postcode | SO14 3ZH |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| ITL 3 | TLJ32 Southampton |
| Local authority | Southampton |
| Electoral ward | Bargate |
| Westminster constituency | Southampton Itchen |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | STANDARD FUEL OILS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 09100000 - Fuels

## Release History

- 31 Jul 2026 at 14:22 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072830-2026
- 31 Jul 2026 at 14:03 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072808-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072830-2026
  31st July 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072808-2026
  31st July 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://standardfueloils.co.uk
- https://noc.ac.uk/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06d913. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d913.json.