In this Manifold Times interview, Ying Ying Lim, Vice President of Cargill Ocean Transportation APAC, discusses how Cargill is using digitalisation—grounded in data, analytics and AI—to improve freight execution and strengthen bunker procurement decisions.
She also shares why a fuel- and technology-agnostic approach, including real-world trials such as green methanol bunkering in Singapore, and collaboration across the maritime value chain are key to scaling decarbonisation while maintaining operational performance.
MT: What is the state of Cargill’s digital transformation for its maritime segment?
Digitalization, data and AI are core enablers of how we run and evolve our ocean transportation business.
We have made deliberate investments to build strong digital foundations, starting with data and analytics that directly improve decision-making, operational efficiency and decarbonization outcomes. This includes our early involvement in ZeroNorth, which applies AI to optimize freight routing and reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
That foundation supports more efficient freight execution, better commercial decisions and a more consistent customer experience, complemented by partnerships with leading maritime technology providers such as Veson.
More recently, we developed a Data Cloud for Cargill Ocean Transportation as a shared data backbone across our shipping activities, and we have begun scaling the use of generative AI across selected processes. We see this as a long-term capability build that requires discipline and sustained commitment, but one that is essential to managing complexity and delivering value at scale.
MT: How has Cargill benefitted from digitalization of its shipping operations?
Digitalization has helped us improve efficiency and cost discipline across our shipping operations, with the level of impact varying depending on the initial situation and objectives of each process.
In freight execution, we use digital tools to support route optimization, vessel vetting, ship chartering, freight handling and market forecast. Depending on the process and starting point, we have been able to partially or fully automate activities, always with a clear focus on delivering a positive return on investment.
While parts of the dry cargo market still rely on semi‑automated processes and inconsistent standards, advances in generative AI are giving us greater flexibility. For example, AI can help structure and make usable unstandardized inputs such as emails and documents, reducing manual effort and dependence on traditional technology vendors. This allows us to lower costs, improve efficiency and instill resilience in our operations.
MT: Has Cargill incorporated digitalization into its bunkering and marine fuel procurement operations? Were there challenges to overcome and what were the solutions?
Cargill executes its marine fuel procurement through Seascale Energy, a Cargill and Hafnia joint venture. By leveraging combined purchasing power and market influence, Seascale brings greater transparency, reliability and efficiency to bunker procurement, supporting improved commercial outcomes.
Data and digital decision making tools play an important role in this process. As with many parts of the maritime value chain, bunker procurement has historically relied on fragmented data and manual processes. Digital tools help bring greater transparency and comparability to purchasing decisions, supporting more consistent outcomes while maintaining the flexibility needed to operate across different markets and suppliers.
One challenge is limited transparency around delivered quantity and fuel quality. This can make like-for-like comparisons more difficult and increase the risk of disputes. Cargill is one of the founding participants in the Bunkering Services Initiative, which commenced operations in the Amsterdam–Rotterdam–Antwerp (ARA) region. The initiative combines certified hardware, real-time data capture and independent assurance across bunker deliveries to improve transparency, traceability and accountability.
Another challenge is that bunker procurement has often been assessed primarily on price, even though outcomes can be materially affected by factors such as claims performance, counterparty reliability, quantity discrepancies and more. Through Seascale, we’re supporting the continued development and commercial rollout of Studio 30 50’s Fuelsure platform to evaluate procurement decisions based on total commercial outcomes, not just nominal cost.
MT: What is Cargill’s view on the use of electronic bunker delivery notes (e-BDN) in Singapore? Does the company have plans to introduce e-BDN operations for its vessels around the world?
Singapore has become the first port globally to mandate electronic bunker delivery notes as the default for all bunker suppliers, setting an important precedent for the industry.
One of the key advantages of e‑BDNs is the use of a standardized and consistent format, which makes it easier for stakeholders to verify information and reduces the risk of discrepancies or errors in the bunkering process.
More broadly, the adoption of e‑BDNs is largely driven by regulation. Where electronic bunker delivery notes are mandated by governments or governing bodies, Cargill will support their implementation accordingly.
MT: Does Cargill have a preferred type of alternative marine fuel which it wants to use for its vessels?
At Cargill, we are deliberately fuel and technology agnostic as we navigate the energy transition. What matters most is using the solution that is best suited to the vessel, the trade and the operating environment at any given time.
We anticipate a multifuel future. Some vessels will continue to operate on conventional fuels, others will use drop-in biofuels, and over time we anticipate more advanced fuels to play a role as availability and infrastructure develop. At Seascale we are exploring LNG and Bio-LNG procurement, and for our own fleet we’re experimenting with green methanol and exploring the possibility of other green fuels, such as ethanol.
Today, the strongest business cases we see are around fuel efficiency and biofuels. At the same time, we are investing in optionality. The methanol vessels are designed to perform efficiently on conventional fuel now, while giving us the flexibility to transition to lower-carbon fuels as their supply chain becomes viable. This approach allows us to make progress today while remaining adaptable for the future.
MT: What is Cargill’s decarbonization strategy and how can Singapore as a multi-fuel bunkering hub help fulfil this ambition?
To complement our fuel and technology-agnostic approach, we continue to explore more ambitious ways to reduce carbon intensity over time. You have seen this through initiatives such as wind assisted propulsion and the introduction of multifuel vessels.
A recent example was Cargill’s first ever bunkering of green methanol in Singapore. This was an important technical experiment, carried out jointly with Singapore based partners and the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore, and it was a positive learning experience.
Technologies such as green methanol or wind assisted propulsion still come with uncertainty. However, as an industry leader, we believe it is important to test these innovations in real operating conditions, share what we learn, and help support the systems and standards needed for wider adoption.
By operating a fleet of multi-fuel and fuel-ready vessels, we are able to experiment with new fuels today and ensure we are ready to progress as these solutions become more viable. Singapore’s role as a multifuel bunkering hub is an important enabler of this approach.
MT: Does digitalization and decarbonization complement each other?
Absolutely! Digitalization can be used to support better fuel efficiency. If we have a clearer understanding of how a vessel performs under different conditions, we can optimize its operations to reduce fuel consumption.
The savings on a per vessel basis may not be dramatic, but these improvements can be applied across fleets of different ages and market segments. When scaled, they add up. For that reason, it is worth doing.
MT: What are your predictions around the demands of maritime shipping in 2030?
Looking ahead to 2030, it is helpful to distinguish between what is most likely to be deployed at scale and what remains more aspirational.
From a practical perspective, we expect biofuels and LNG to account for a significant share of fuel use, as these options are already available today and can be applied across a wide range of vessels and trades. Methanol and ethanol are also expected to play a growing role, but their uptake will depend on fuel availability, infrastructure development and effective regulation.
From an ambition standpoint, our focus at Cargill is on continuing to reduce the carbon intensity of ocean transport for our customers. Within Cargill Ocean Transportation, we have a 2030 ambition to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 30 percent per ton of product sold, compared to a 2017 baseline, measured through improvements in our Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator. As of 2024, we have reported progress of 12 percent toward that target.
Achieving further reductions by 2030 will depend not only on fuel choices, but also on efficiency improvements, vessel design, digital optimization and a regulatory environment that supports the scaling of lower-carbon solutions. Digitalization, and AI in particular, will be essential in managing the added complexity that decarbonization brings, from emissions reporting and regulation to multiple propulsion technologies.
Related: Cargill’s first green methanol dual-fuel dry bulk vessel to bunker in Singapore
Photo credit: Cargill
Published: 30 April 2026
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