Sing Fuels-backed 129Knots and GLDB to address multi-billion dollar marine fuel liquidity gap

Singapore-based fintech venture 129Knots on Friday (25 July) said it has joined forces with Green Link Digital Bank (GLDB) to launch a global embedded finance programme aimed at unlocking liquidity in the marine fuel industry. 

129Knots was launched in February with a USD 10 million investment led by Singapore’s homegrown bunker trader Sing Fuels. 

In the first stage of this strategic initiative, using 129Knots Origination-to-Distribution (OTD) platform, eligible borrowers across the global marine fuel sector will be able to access working capital financing lines.

Marine fuels is one of the most significant operating costs in the marine industry, where operating expenditure is three to five times compared to capital cost of a vessel over its lifecycle. Despite its scale and significance, the fuel operating cost structure of the marine industry has historically been overlooked and excluded by conventional financing models. This has created a structural, multi-billion dollar liquidity gap which persists today and that is what 129Knots and GLDB are addressing with this initiative.

This partnership marks a first-of-its-kind move in the industry to introduce a liquidity framework tailored to the operational demands of the marine industry and its stakeholders. Delivered through 129Knots’ OTD platform, industry participants can now access institutional-grade liquidity, structured receivables financing, and programmable credit solutions embedded within their transaction flow. Starting with marine fuels today, 129Knots OTD platform and ecosystem is built for the future, scaling to offer holistic solutions across alternative fuels procurement, energy transition financing and related long term CAPEX requirements.

Looking ahead, the partnership is being developed to support a broader suite of next-generation financial products, such as stablecoin-based settlements, and programmable payment instruments. These solutions, enabled by 129Knots, will enhance transparency and connectivity across procurement, financing, and settlement processes for GLDB.

Vikash Dhanuka, Founder and Group CEO at 129Knots, said: “The marine fuel industry has long relied on fragmented financing and informal credit, limiting transparency and scale. Together with GLDB, we are enabling capital to move seamlessly across this value chain. This partnership solves the perennial problem of credit accessibility in the marine fuel industry. It also marks the first step toward filling a multibillion-dollar gap by building a new asset class that brings structure and scalable opportunity to every participant.”

Melvin Teo, Chief Executive Officer at Green Link Digital Bank, said: “At GLDB, we are committed to transforming how businesses manage their cash flow and supply chain financing. Through Embedded Financing partnership with 129Knots, we are breaking down traditional barriers and embedding financial solutions right where businesses operate.”

Photo credit: 129Knots
Published: 25 July, 2025