Port & Regulatory

Singapore: MPA releases circular on amendments to regulations taking effect next month

MPA informs shipping community on amendments to Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations and Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Reporting of Pollution Incidents) Regulations.

Published

8 months ago

December 3, 2025

Admin

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Monday (1 December) issued Shipping Circular No. 11 of 2025 regarding the amendments, which includes bunkering, to the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations and the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Reporting of Pollution Incidents) Regulations:

This circular informs the shipping community on the amendments to the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations and the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Reporting of Pollution Incidents) Regulations which will enter into force on 01 January 2026.

Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) had adopted amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention), through Resolutions MSC.520(106), MSC.532(107), MSC.534(107) and MSC.550(108) which will enter into force on 01 January 2026.

Resolution MSC.520(106) adopted amendments to the SOLAS Convention to:

a) introduce pre-bunkering requirements for ships carrying oil fuel, whereby the oil fuel supplier’s representative will be required to provide a signed and certified declaration that the oil fuel supplied is in conformity with the relevant regulation, and the bunker delivery note must now also contain flashpoint details for the oil fuel delivered; and

b) introduce requirements for IMO to be informed for all confirmed cases where oil fuel suppliers have failed to meet the specified requirements, and for actions to be taken against oil fuel suppliers found delivering non-compliant oil fuel.

Resolutions MSC.532(107) and MSC.534(107) adopted amendments to the SOLAS Convention to:

a) require lifting appliances and anchor handling winches to now be designed, constructed, installed and maintained in accordance with SOLAS requirements;

b) prohibit the use or storage of firefighting foams containing perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, which would minimise the impact of fire-extinguishing media that are detrimental to the environment;

c) incorporate a new requirement for electronic inclinometers to be carried on board all containerships and bulk carriers of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards;

d) include selected non-SOLAS ship types operating in polar waters under the Polar Code; and

e) amend the templates of forms of the various SOLAS certificates to include “containership” as new ship type within cargo ship safety equipment / safety certificates, nuclear cargo ship safety certificate, and specify details on provision of immersion suits and electronic inclinometers.

Resolution MSC.550(108) adopted amendments to the SOLAS Convention to:

a) update requirements for oil fuel safety; fire detection and alarm systems in accommodation/service and cargo control spaces; and fire and structural protection systems for vehicle/ro-ro/special category ships and passenger ships; and

b) introduce new reporting requirements when freight containers are lost at sea.

The amendments to the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations will give effect to the Resolutions MSC.520(106), MSC.532(107), MSC.534(107) and MSC.550(108).

Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Reporting of Pollution Incidents) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the IMO had adopted amendments to Protocol I of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL Convention), through Resolution MEPC.384(81) which will enter into force on 01 January 2026.

Resolution MEPC.384(81) introduces, under Article V of Protocol I, new reporting procedures for the loss of containers, in accordance with the requirements on danger messages under the SOLAS Convention.

The amendments to the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Reporting of Pollution Incidents) Regulations will give effect to the Resolution MEPC.384(81).

Copies of the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (Government Gazette No. S 738/2025) and Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Reporting of Pollution Incidents) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (Government Gazette No. S 739/2025) can be purchased at:

Toppan Next Pte Ltd
Legal Publication
Great World City
East Tower, #18-01
1, Kim Seng Promenade
Singapore 237994
Tel: 6826 9691
Fax: 6820 3341
Email: [email protected]
Mon – Fri: 9:30am – 6:00pm

The Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations and the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Reporting of Pollution Incidents) Regulations can also be accessed on Singapore Statutes Online.

Any queries relating to this circular should be emailed to [email protected].

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 3 December, 2025

Engine

Japan’s first WinGD methanol dual-fuel marine engine passes FAT at MITSUI E&S

Company successfully completed the Factory Acceptance Test of the DU-WinGD 6X82DF-M-1.0 LP-SCR, the first methanol dual-fuel WinGD large marine engine built in Japan.

Published

12 hours ago

August 4, 2026

Admin

MITSUI E&S completes FAT of Japan's first WinGD methanol dual-fuel engine

MITSUI E&S on Monday (3 August) announced that Mitsui E&S DU, a group company of MITSUI E&S, has successfully completed the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of the DU-WinGD 6X82DF-M-1.0 LP-SCR, the first methanol dual-fuel WinGD large marine engine built in Japan.

The engine is also the first WinGD large marine engine manufactured at MITSUI E&S Tamano Works.

“The engine is scheduled to be installed on the first vessel in a series of four vessels being built for a domestic shipowner,” the company said on its website.

By utilising green methanol as fuel, it will contribute to a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping operations.

“To meet the expected increase in marine engine demand under the Japanese government’s Shipbuilding Industry Revitalisation Roadmap, the MITSUI E&S Group is working to enhance production efficiency for large marine engines through integrated operation at MITSUI E&S Tamano and Mitsui E&S DU Aioi,” the company added.

Photo credit: MITSUI E&S
Published: 4 August, 2026

Alternative Fuels

Quadrise and Licella amend JDA to advance low-carbon marine fuel testing

Companies have been collaborating since March 2025 on the use of Licella’s bio-oil produced by HTL technology as a potential cost-effective feedstock for Quadrise’s bioMSAR™ and bioMSAR Zero™ fuels.

Published

12 hours ago

August 4, 2026

Admin

Quadrise, a low emissions fuels and biofuel developer, recently announced an amendment to the Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with Australian-based Licella Holdings (Licella).

Licella is a global technology pioneer delivering scalable, low-cost and high-value fossil replacement solutions. Its proprietary Cat-HTR™ hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL” technology efficiently converts abundant biomass residues and biowastes, including wood and agricultural waste, into high-quality, sustainable bio-oil that can be blended or refined into low-carbon liquid fuels.

“HTL is globally recognised as one of the most promising pathways for producing sustainable fuels for hard-to-abate sectors such as shipping, with organisations highlighting its potential to deliver low-carbon bio-oils at the scale the maritime sector requires,” Quadrise said.

Under the JDA entered into on 26 March 2025, Quadrise and Licella have been collaborating and seeking, inter alia, to progress the use of Licella’s bio-oil produced by HTL technology as a potential cost-effective feedstock for the Company’s bioMSAR™ and bioMSAR Zero™ fuels.

Under the JDA, pursuant to which lab testing has been undertaken in Australia and the UK, the parties have jointly developed a deeper understanding of the technological advancements needed to supply sustainable HTL-derived bio-oils to the maritime sector.

As a result, and prior to diesel engine testing, the Amended JDA now sets out a non-binding but more specific development focus, with an updated time schedule for the joint testing of the parties’ respective fuel technologies, with Licella providing the scalable HTL bio-oil production expertise and Quadrise providing maritime market access and fuel experience.

Upon successful completion of final lab tests on refined Licella HTL bio-oils in H2 2026, initial marine fuel diesel engine pilot tests are planned by the parties, after which Quadrise and Licella will seek to undertake the larger scale, third-party engine testing required to move to commercial vessel tests.

Photo credit: Scott Graham
Published: 4 August, 2026

Methanol

CMA CGM names new 15,000 TEU methanol-powered vessel “ROI ARTHUR”

Joining the company’s REX2 service, the ship will strengthen its fleet of new-generation vessels designed to support the decarbonisation of shipping.

Published

12 hours ago

August 4, 2026

Admin

French shipping giant CMA CGM on Monday (3 August) said its new 15,000 TEU methanol-powered vessel, CMA CGM ROI ARTHUR, has officially been named and is ready to begin its journey at sea.

Joining the company’s REX2 service, the ship will strengthen its fleet of new-generation vessels designed to support the decarbonisation of shipping.

“Powered by methanol, she contributes to reducing atmospheric emissions and advancing the energy transition of our industry,” the company said in a social media post.

The vessel was welcomed by her Master, Captain Roman DIDENKO, and her godmother, Ms. Sun Lijun, Vice Chairman of Tianjin Bridge Welding Materials Group Co., Ltd. and Vice President of the Tianjin Women Entrepreneurs Association.

In January, the company announced the arrival in its fleet of its 400th owned vessel, the CMA CGM MONTE CRISTO, the first in a series of six methanol container ships.

The Group is preparing to operate, by 2031, around 200 dual-fuel LNG and methanol container ships that can be powered with low-carbon energy.

Photo credit: CMA CGM
Published: 4 August, 2026