MPA: Bunker suppliers must provide Proof of Sustainability with BDN for biofuel deliveries
- Published
by Admin

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Monday (16 October) issued Port Marine Circular No. 11 of 2023 informing MPA licensed bunker suppliers to provide a Proof of Sustainability or similar documentation together with the Bunker Delivery Note for biofuel bunker deliveries:
ISSUANCE OF A PROOF OF SUSTAINABILITY WITH THE BUNKER DELIVERY NOTE FOR BIO-FUEL DELIVERIES TO SHIPS ENGAGED IN INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING IN THE PORT OF SINGAPORE
This circular serves to inform all bunker suppliers and bunker craft operators licensed by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on the requirements to issue a Proof of Sustainability (POS) from a recognised scheme together with the Bunker Delivery Note when biofuel is supplied to vessels in the Port of Singapore.
This circular should be read in conjunction with PMC 21 of 2022 – Supply of biofuel within the Port of Singapore to vessels, where amongst other requirements, bunker suppliers had been encouraged to supply International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) certified biofuel.
The 80th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved the “Interim guidance on the use biofuels under regulations 26, 27 and 28 of MARPOL Annex VI (IMO DCS and CII)”. This was promulgated via MEPC.1/Circ.905 for application from 01 October 2023. The circular is attached as Annex A.
Arising from MEPC.1/Circ.905, from 01 October 2023, MPA licensed bunker suppliers, at the request of their customers or the Master/owner of the receiving vessel, must provide a POS or similar documentation from a recognised scheme together with the Bunker Delivery Note (BDN).
When a POS or similar documentation is provided to the receiving vessel, the bunker supplier must also provide to MPA Standards and Investigation – Marine Fuel (SIMF) Department (i.e. [email protected]) a copy of such documentation. MPA will conduct random checks and contact the bunker suppliers for additional details as and when necessary.
This circular is for an interim period only, until a more comprehensive method is developed for international shipping to calculate a fuel’s Emission Conversion Factor reflecting the emissions based on the LCA Guidelines by the IMO. For the nationally determined contributions to emission reduction for the national emission reduction goals and the use of biofuels for harbourcraft where the greenhouse gas emissions are reported, the relevant factors used can be referenced to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories.
For calculation of the CO2 Emission Conversion Factor (Cf) for international shipping, suppliers are to adopt the calculation methodology set out in MEPC.1/Circ.905.
Should you have any queries, please write to us at [email protected] or [email protected].
Note: The Annex A of the circular can be found here.
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Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 16 October, 2023