How to Reduce Marine Diesel Fuel Costs
The cost of marine diesel fuel is a significant portion of the operating expense of a diesel powered yacht, cruiser or boat. Diesel engines tend to use less fuel than their gasoline counterparts, but extended cruising with a pair of high horsepower diesel beasts in the stern can burn through a lot of fuel. Understanding what goes into the cost of marine diesel fuel will not reduce the pain in the pocketbook, but may make it all easier to swallow. Below are a a few tips to help reduce your marine fuel expenses. Start by using Marinfuel.com’s Fuel Dock Prices™ information database – you could save up to 50% on your next fuel purchase by finding the best marine diesel fuel prices in your area.
cost of marine diesel fuel
Difference between Marine Diesel Fuel and Other Diesel Blends
Marine diesel fuel is not necessarily the same stuff that truckers and diesel pickup owners use to fill their tanks. Depending on the marina location and the output of the nearest refinery, marine diesel can be fuel specifically distilled for marine use or re-purposed on-highway, off-highway or heating oil. This EPA report also made notice of the significant differences in fuel obtained for commercial boating and shipping purposes and recreational marine use. Commercial use fuel consists of distillate blends aimed at reducing the cost and often includes a significant portion of unrefined oils. Recreational diesel fuels are more likely to be re-purposed land diesel with additives added for marine use.
Marine Diesel Production Cost Drivers
According to the Energy Information Administration, the cost of a gallon of diesel fuel breaks down this way: 62% is the value of the crude oil used to make the fuel, taxes are 18%, 5% is the refining cost and the remaining 15% is called distribution and marketing (profit to somebody). Diesel for marine use is not required to include highway taxes so the tax bite on diesel from you local marina is significantly less than at the truck stop. On the other hand, marinas can sometimes charge higher prices for ”distribution and marketing”.
How to Find the Best Marine Gasoline & Diesel Fuel Prices
Using the Marinefuel.com database I checked gasoline and diesel prices at marinas in Florida and northern California. There was a big spread between different marinas, up to a $1.00 in some cases. The cost of marine diesel fuel was typically 30¢ to 60¢ less per gallon than gasoline. Some of the difference can be attributed to lower diesel fuel taxes. My research revealed that in many states the highway tax is still included in marina gasoline but is not charged on diesel fuel sold.
Three Great Tools to save money on Marine Diesel Fuel Prices
Marinefuel.com provides several tools to help you reduce your cost of marine diesel fuel (gasoline too!). The Fuel Dock Prices™ page allows you to compare prices at different marinas in your area, and nationally. A premium membership at Marinefuel.com will provide text notices of fuel price changes at your favorite marinas, and if you purchase fuel in quantities of 1,000 gallons or more, the Fuel Bid Desk™ will facilitate bids at wholesale prices (even deliver to you!) Finally, the best way to beat the cost of marine diesel is simply to use less.
Here is an article with 20 Tips to Reduce Fuel Consumption.
Please consider using some of those saving for carbon offsetts. Its a low cost way to offsett the polution of burning marine diesel and gasoline.
