MPA issues EOI seeking for methanol bunker fuel suppliers in Singapore

Methanol

Published Fri, 15th December 2023
by Admin

EOI comes after completion of world’s first ship-to-containership methanol bunkering operation in July in Singapore; aims to gather proposals for implementation of end-to-end methanol bunkering solutions.

MPA issues EOI seeking for methanol bunker fuel suppliers in Singapore

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Thursday (14 December 2023) issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting parties interested in supplying methanol as a bunker fuel in the Port of Singapore, to submit their proposals by the end of February.

The EOI aims to gather proposals for the implementation of end-to-end methanol bunkering solutions in Singapore from 2025. The goal is to ensure a resilient supply of methanol to meet the international bunkering needs in the Port of Singapore given the expected delivery of methanol-capable vessels in the coming years.

The EOI focuses on three areas: (a) methanol supply sources, (b) methanol bunkering operation model at commercial scale in Singapore and, (c) alternatives to the physical transfer of methanol molecules to Singapore such as mass balancing.

MPA will assess the viability of various solutions in the proposals received, which will also inform and shape the development of MPA’s methanol bunkering licensing framework.

This EOI comes after the recent completion of the world’s first ship-to-containership methanol bunkering operation on 27 July 2023 in Singapore. Aside from the Technical Reference (TR) for methanol bunkering that will be developed, MPA is also working with industry partners to study methanol supplies, infrastructure requirements such as terminal facilities and methanol-carrying bunker tankers, seafarers training, and bunkering standards, as part of the broader effort to operationalise methanol bunkering and supply methanol at scale in the Port of Singapore.

Mr Teo Eng Dih, MPA Chief Executive, said: “The launch of this EOI marks an important step towards development of a methanol licensing framework to enable the supply of methanol at scale in the Port of Singapore. We look forward to working closely with interested parties on this effort which will be integral to help international shipping transit to green energy.”

In a social media post, Teo said Singapore can readily support the supply of methanol as a marine fuel to the domestic and international shipping community with methanol storage and bunkering infrastructure already available.

“Arising from industry feedback & demand projections, methanol demand volume in the Port of Singapore has the potential to exceed 1 million tons per annum (MTPA) before 2030,” he said.

Interested parties can visit MPA’s website at https://go.gov.sg/mpa-eoi-supply-methanol-bunkering to access or download a copy of the EOI documents. Queries are to be submitted to the MPA point-of-contacts stated in the EOI documents by 20 February 2024 and proposals submitted by 29 February 2024, 3.00pm (Singapore time).

Manifold Times recently reported Stellar Shipmanagement Services Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Energy Group, has taken delivery of a 4,000 DWT IMO Type 2 Chemical and Oil Tanker. MT MAPLE, classed by Bureau Veritas, is the first dedicated methanol bunkering tanker to operate in the port of Singapore.

Manifold Times previously reported Maersk and Hong Lam Marine Pte Ltd successfully conducted the world’s first ship-to-containership methanol bunkering operation of a Maersk’s container vessel on 27 July 2023 at the Raffles Reserved Anchorage in Singapore.

The operation marked Singapore’s first methanol bunkering operation.

Later, Manifold Times also reported The Methanol Institute (MI) stating the successful completion of Singapore’s first methanol bunkering pilot has given the republic a lead in adopting methanol as a marine fuel.

MI added the milestone operation between a Maersk containership and Hong Lam Marine tanker MT Agility was the first in Asia to feature a methanol-fuelled containership, and not a commercial product carrier transporting methanol.

Marine fuels testing company VPS was also the first company to complete a methanol bunker quantity survey (BQS) operation during Singapore’s first methanol bunkering operation.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 15 December, 2023

MPA issues EOI seeking for methanol bunker fuel suppliers in Singapore

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