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Singapore: Panellists at StormGeo forum discuss future of digitalisation in the bunkering sector

Digitisation requires shifting organisational mindset from short-term costs to long-term capability building and integrated data flows across bunker buyers and suppliers.

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Experts from the bunker purchasing and digital platform solutions segments presented their views during the Future of Digitalisation in the Bunker Industry panel discussion session at the StormGeo APAC Shipping Forum 2025 in Singapore on Thursday (25 September).

The session was moderated by Jack Oh, Solutions Manager, StormGeo, who asked the group on how digitalisation promotes efficiency, trust and transparency between bunker suppliers, traders, and shipowners in bunkering operations.

Lim Wei Ling, Head of Global Operations, Swire Bulk

“Manual marine fuel procurement has been made more efficient by digital map-based bunker price indications, records of past done deals, historical prices, and vessel voyage planner integration; but visibility of local fuel availability still remains as a critical gap,” highlights Wei Ling.

She noted that regulations will be a key factor influencing the adoption of digital bunkering solutions and cited the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)’s mandate to implement electronic bunker delivery note (e-BDN) operations from 1 April 2025 for local suppliers as the main push in accelerating the republic’s path towards digital bunkering.

“But organisational buy-in by shipowners for digital solutions still hinges on demonstrable cost savings, profitability, and sustainability value,” stated Wei Ling.

“Future bunker management in five to ten years should deliver transparent, real-time COQ (Certificate of Quality) data integrated from bunker suppliers and labs distributed to buyers and technical managers for analysis and decision making, allowing for transparent financial adjustments and discrepancy resolution.”

Aloysius Ng, Bunker Purchaser, StarDream Cruises

Ng, meanwhile, shared StormGeo’s Bunker Management procurement platform simplifies enquiries and trading within a set windows timeframe (e.g. two-hour trading sessions), while consolidating supplier responses and reducing email dependence.

“Before I started using the StormGeo platform, I needed to prepare and send a lot of individual enquiries beforehand while monitoring the market. If the market drops suddenly, I am unable to send out the enquiries as I will have to setup the whole process again,” he explained.

“But for the platform, there’s always a draft inside where you only make minor adjustments such as date before sending the bunker enquiry form out. In the form, I can choose the supplier or trader preferred and all movement including replies are logged into a central system which records all activities during trading hours.

“This has significantly reduced interaction with the company’s internal auditors, who are also able to track my bunker purchasing activities on their end.”

Ang See Lin, Vice President Technical Sales, Ofiniti

Ang noted supplier-side digitisation has progressed with MPA’s mandate of e-BDN bunkering operations in Singapore; the next phase now focuses on buyer/operator-side integrations to streamline data entry and downstream workflows.

“Trust-building starts with real-time data sharing on bunkering progress and changes, plus ensuring documents are verifiable and tamper-proof with controls preventing unauthorised amendments,” he said.

Ang noted digitised documents and workflows can save about 30% of time through auto-filling, automated checks, reduced errors, remote signing, and faster handovers, while improving safety. He highlighted a platform-centric approach such as Ofiniti’s FuelBoss is focused on digital recording and data quality to meet regulatory requirements.

“Identity verification is required for signers to ensure accountability. Data is kept confidential and encrypted within the platform and only used as evidence in disputes, when necessary,” added Ang.

“Information from buyers (e.g. bunker intake) and lab integrations are recorded, then analysed to assess compliance.

“Moving forward, companies should reframe digitisation costs as long-term investments to build capabilities, enable integration, and future opportunities; being a front-runner in the digital bunkering sphere confers advantages.”

Julie Nielsen, Global Head of Bunker Sales, StormGeo

“Digitalisation within the next five to ten years is going to move very fast. Already, within the last couple of years we went from basically zero to now where everybody is talking about digitalisation within the shipping sector,” stated Nielsen.

“Digitalisation is the colleague you didn’t know you needed. With all the complexity in the market about regulations and decarbonisation and reporting to verifiers, maritime firms need to be digitalised.”

She shared StormGeo’s Bunker Management platform can indicate marine fuel product presence per port (e.g. VLSFO, HSFO, MGO) but still lacked real-time availability due to supplier transparency and other factors.

“One of the words which has been used in all presentations today is ‘transparency’. Transparency is needed now more than ever, and it’s needed in the future more than it’s going to be needed now. This includes data reliability and real-time data to take the decisions that comes with digitalisation,” summarised Nielsen.

“This is why our solution has a partnership with Ofiniti to ping clients with a notification once the bunker supply has finished with all documents now in place.

“A key takeaway is don’t see digitalisation as an enemy, see it as a partner, walk hand in hand with it because it will help you and it will give you a better bunker purchasing position. The earlier you adapt, the better position you have in the market against competitors.”

 

Photo credit: StormGeo
Published: 3 October 2025

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Emissions reporting

StormGeo and OceanScore link emissions data, compliance workflows

Cooperation combines StormGeo’s expertise in operational vessel and emissions data with OceanScore’s expertise in emissions compliance workflows across EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime and UK ETS requirements.

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StormGeo and OceanScore link emissions data, compliance workflows

Weather intelligence and decision support solutions provider StormGeo and Hamburg-based technology platform OceanScore on Wednesday (3 June) said they have deepened their ongoing cooperation through the signing of a collaboration agreement during Posidonia 2026 in Athens on 2 June.

The cooperation combines StormGeo’s expertise in operational vessel and emissions data with OceanScore’s expertise in emissions compliance workflows across EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime and upcoming UK ETS requirements.

Together, the companies aim to help shipping companies seamlessly navigate increasing regulatory complexity more efficiently — from emissions reporting and data validation to compliance exposure management, pooling and financial settlement.

As emissions regulation becomes an increasingly important part of commercial shipping operations, the need for reliable operational data and streamlined compliance processes continues to grow. The cooperation between StormGeo and OceanScore is designed to support shipping companies with more connected, transparent and actionable processes across operational and commercial teams.

“From the outside, companies like StormGeo and OceanScore may sometimes be perceived as competitors because both operate around emissions and compliance workflows,” said Albrecht Grell, Managing Director at OceanScore. 

“But in reality, the industry increasingly needs both perspectives working together: trusted operational emissions data on one side and commercial compliance execution on the other. Our cooperation reflects that shipping companies are no longer looking for isolated solutions — they need connected processes, automated across different systems and reliable decision-making throughout the full compliance chain.”

By connecting validated operational emissions data with commercial compliance management, the cooperation supports workflows across:

  • emissions reporting and validation 
  • compliance management across EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime and upcoming UK ETS requirements
  • exposure visibility and cost transparency
  • pooling, settlement and financial processes 

The cooperation also aims to improve commercial transparency and coordination across operational and commercial stakeholders.

“StormGeo plays a central role in helping shipping companies turn operational vessel and emissions data into trusted, decision-ready insights,” said Espen Martinsen, Chief Commercial Officer at StormGeo. 

“As emissions regulations become more complex, this data is essential for transparent and efficient compliance management. By working with OceanScore, we can help customers connect StormGeo’s validated operational data with commercial compliance processes, creating a more integrated and practical approach to emissions management.”

The signing ceremony took place at the StormGeo booth during Posidonia 2026 in Athens and was attended by representatives from both companies.

Both companies expect the cooperation to continue evolving alongside upcoming regulatory developments, including FuelEU Maritime, EU ETS, the upcoming UK ETS and future emissions-related frameworks affecting global shipping.

 

Photo credit: StormGeo
Published: 4 June, 2026

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Technology

StormGeo integrates Alfa Laval sensor data with Voyage Intelligence platform

Enhancing voyage efficiency is seen as the primary use case for sensor data in the short term, with the initial focus mainly on marine fuel consumption, according to StormGeo’s VP Shipping Petter Andersen.

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StormGeo launches new premium advisory offering with emission compliance reporting

Weather intelligence and decision support solutions provider StormGeo on Monday (1 June) said the company is expanding its Voyage Intelligence platform by integrating sensor data from shipboard energy consumers to deliver real-time insights for enhanced technical performance under a partnership with its parent Alfa Laval.

The joint project marked a significant advance in digitalisation of shipboard equipment through automated collection of engine and hull data and integration into a wider digital ecosystem to give a clearer overview and better understanding of vessel performance.

StormGeo and Alfa Laval are combining their resources to provide hardware installation, data collection and analysis, performance advice and client support as part of a unique, all-inclusive delivery from a single company.  

StormGeo’s VP Shipping Petter Andersen, said: “The goal is to provide a comprehensive, integrated solution for shipping companies to simplify data collection and harvest more value by using actionable insights from sensor data to enable faster and better-informed voyage decision-making.”

Enhanced data-driven insight into vessel performance represents an enabler for operational efficiencies and fuel savings to boost sustainability through more effective decisions, with AI-driven analytics seen as a tool to support rather than replace human judgment to maintain the focus on safety as top priority.

“Ship operators need actionable insights, not just data. Continuous real-time monitoring helps transform sensor and performance data into smarter operational decisions,” Andersen said.

Alfa Laval, a supplier of ship equipment and specialist in real-time monitoring, is taking advantage of recent advances in onboard connectivity to apply its expertise in sensor data collection to shipping through the tie-up with StormGeo, a global provider of weather intelligence and smart digital solutions for voyage optimization.

Enhancing voyage efficiency is seen as the primary use case for sensor data in the short term, with the initial focus mainly on fuel consumption, according to Andersen.

Real-time data increases visibility of hull and main/auxiliary engine performance to inform proactive efficiency measures such as hull cleaning or engine tuning, while also providing a basis for long-term analysis and benchmarking at both individual ship and fleet level.

“The innovative element of this integration is that we are assimilating equipment sensor data with an array of datasets covering weather, route optimization, voyage planning and navigation, emissions reporting, and bunker planning and procurement accessible via a unified user interface. This gives a more holistic overview for operational decisions,” according to Andersen.

StormGeo is the sole contracting party for the integrated solution, while accessing resources and technology from Alfa Laval’s global network. The company now sees the opportunity for future application of sensor data to a wide range of operational, safety, commercial and environmental use cases in maritime, in partnership with third-party data providers.

In particular, Andersen highlighted the potential for automation of noon reporting based on streaming of fuel consumption data to replace time-consuming manual processes – such as email and fax – for meeting SOLAS and other reporting requirements. A further possible application is condition-based monitoring of equipment for proactive maintenance.

This is part of Alfa Laval’s broader strategy to expand sensor data collection across multiple ship systems to realize an Internet of Things (IoT) onboard as part of its cloud-based ALIoT platform, in line with the trend towards increased connectivity in shipping and smarter vessel operations.

Alfa Laval’s Head of Vessel Operations, Jesper Boman, said: “There’s a lot of potential to further digitalize, giving operators real-time insights that help them make better decisions, reduce risk, improve reliability, and avoid unnecessary costs.

“At the same time, implementing and using digital tools needs to be done with robust cybersecurity measures in place. Aligned with the international standards, to keep our maritime assets safe.”

 

Photo credit: StormGeo
Published: 2 June, 2026

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Bunker Fuel

StormGeo: Smarter voyage decisions can boost payback amid market swings

‘In an environment of fuel price fluctuations, freight market swings, operational disruption and rising emissions costs, voyage planning can no longer remain static,’ says StormGeo’s Rolf Reksten.

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StormGeo: Voyage optimisation falls short without real-time commercial clarity

Higher bunker prices. Trade route disruption. Soaring freight rates. 

The impact of the Middle East war on global shipping has again demonstrated how geopolitical shocks can drastically affect operational planning – and why navigating market volatility is essential to optimize the commercial efficiency of voyages, according to StormGeo on Thursday (28 May). 

“Operators have to expect the unexpected and be agile in their thinking,” said StormGeo’s Commercial Lead Routing Rolf Reksten.

“In an environment of fuel price fluctuations, freight market swings, operational disruption and rising emissions costs, voyage planning can no longer remain static.

“Operational decisions – from routing and speed to arrival timing – must increasingly respond to constantly changing economic conditions, in the same way that shipping must adapt to more extreme weather patterns caused by climate change,” he explained.

Accelerating cyclicality

Shipping markets have always experienced cycles, but these are becoming more frequent and volatile, driven by geopolitical effects, macroeconomic factors, energy market shifts, supply and demand, evolving regulation and critical stockpiles in key countries.

Optimization is no longer solely determined by speed and fuel efficiency, but by diverse factors that are reshaping voyage economics – and this makes operational decision-making more complex than ever.

“Rather than sailing smoothly from the Persian Gulf to India or China with crude, you may have to pick up the cargo from West Africa, Brazil or the US Gulf. Voyages are longer, the need for optimization is greater, and you have to relate execution much more to market volatility than before,” Reksten said.

The commercial outcome of a voyage is affected by the interplay of different economic variables – from fuel price volatility, rapidly moving freight markets and regulatory shifts that impact carbon costs to delays and trade disruption caused by port congestion, weather or regional conflict that can result in both direct costs and missed opportunities.

Fuel price effect

Given fuel is the largest cost variable of a voyage, bunker price hikes can significantly affect profitability without consideration of the wider commercial picture, and this requires a dynamic approach to decision-making to capture value across the voyage cycle.

Operators may lose value or increase risk if decisions are made without updated economic insight based on changing market conditions.

A case in point is the recent Strait of Hormuz crisis that fuelled higher tanker rates and a spike in bunker prices, which is estimated by lobby group Transport & Environment to have cost shipping companies an additional €340 million a day in fossil fuel bills.

Among the challenges for shipping companies are planning voyages without considering fuel price shifts, making speed decisions that do not account for port congestion or schedule changes, and having limited visibility into emissions cost exposure.

And this demands constant economic awareness with real-time data insights of the different variables to facilitate a shift from static to adaptive voyage planning to avoid leaving value on the table, according to Reksten.

‘Keeping an eye on markets’

“If you don’t have an eye on the markets and you’re purely focused on the route, this can undermine the commercial outcome of the voyage. You may need to reassess during the voyage whether to adjust speed, ETA or bunker strategy to execute in the most optimal way in relation to your commercial goals,” he said.

The need for a more dynamic approach to voyage planning is driving industry adoption of AI-driven voyage intelligence – integrating real-time data for ocean and weather conditions, vessel performance, market insights and emissions monitoring – to deliver predictive analytics supported by human expertise to inform adaptive decision-making, according to Reksten.

This enables operators to evaluate multiple scenarios and adapt according to changing conditions to safeguard voyage margins even in volatile markets, such as by capturing opportunities in a rising freight market.

“How you execute the current voyage can be tied to what your next employment will be. If the market is rising steeply, you want to sail as quickly as possible to discharge and offer your ship into the market at a higher price point,” Reksten explained.

Single source of truth

By combining operational, economic and sustainability data, voyage intelligence fully integrates commercial awareness into the planning process. Furthermore, it provides a single source of truth with visibility across company departments to allow better coordination between different teams, avoiding possible blind spots in decision-making.

“A typical voyage entails interaction between a lot of different moving parts – and this requires alignment of KPIs across commercial and operations teams that can be difficult in a fast-paced environment,” Reksten said.

Voyage intelligence allows decision-making to be informed by both operational expertise and evolving economic realities – such as metocean conditions, fuel prices, charter party requirements, freight market conditions, emissions and compliance obligations – to enable adaptive voyage management aligned with a shifting environment.

Managing uncertainty

This means shipping companies can manage uncertainty more effectively to provide better costs control in fluctuating fuel markets, freight market visibility, reduced risk of delays, improved schedule reliability, lower emissions and compliance risk – and stronger commercial margins.

“Profitability is the ultimate driver of decisions in shipping – and this is strongly impacted by market volatility. But companies able to quickly respond to changing conditions can turn volatility into competitive advantage,” Reksten concluded.

 

Photo credit: StormGeo
Published: 29 May, 2026

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