Singapore-based bunker tanker owner/operator and marine fuel supplier Hong Lam Marine on Monday (17 August) announced the successful launching of 7,999 dwt bunkering vessel Priority at Jiangmen Hangtong Shipbuilding Co Ltd in China on 12 August. 

“As the first vessel in our latest series of four newbuilds, the bunkering vessel Priority represents an important milestone in our ongoing fleet renewal journey,” the company said in a social media post. 

“Despite the intense summer heat, the launching was carried out smoothly and safely. Watching Priority taking to the water was a proud and memorable moment for everyone involved in the project.” 

Hong Lam Marine added that the achievement reflected the strong partnership, dedication and teamwork of our project team, shipyard partners and stakeholders, whose collective efforts have brought the vessel to this significant stage of construction.

“We look forward to the successful completion and delivery of Priority in the months ahead and extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who has contributed to making this milestone possible,” the company added. 

Photo credit: Hong Lam Marine
Published: 19 August, 2026

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has released ISO 22120:2026 which provides requirements for methanol bunkering transfer systems and equipment used to bunker methanol-fuelled vessels.

The document covers transfer systems, operational procedures, risk assessment, safety protection and personnel training.

According to the introduction, the document has been produced to meet an industry need for additional safety guidance related to the use of alternative fuels on board ships, as identified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

“Due to numerous economic and environmental factors, the use of methanol as a vessel’s fuel has increased,” it said.

“The increase in methanol-fuelled vessels corresponds to an increase in methanol bunkering operations. Therefore, there is a need to standardize methanol bunkering operations internationally to a reasonable degree, so that vessel operators have the tools to select vessel fuel providers who meet set safety standards and so that methanol bunkering operations can be conducted safely.

“This document can be used for vessels involved in both international and domestic service, regardless of size.”

Note: The ISO 22120:2026 – Specification for bunkering of methanol fuelled vessels can be purchased here. 

Photo credit: william william on Unsplash
Published: 19 August, 2026

Industry coalition SEA-LNG on Tuesday (18 August) announced the membership of Amazónica LNG, a Colombian LNG import, storage and regasification company developing bunkering-ready infrastructure on the country’s Caribbean coast.

Amazónica LNG is a joint venture between port logistics specialist Retramar and private equity investor Affinity Energy. The company operates the Palermo LNG terminal in Sitio Nuevo, Magdalena, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast near Barranquilla, combining a floating storage unit with regasification and small-scale LNG distribution capability.

Cartagena and Barranquilla have a focus on cargo and cruise activity along Colombia’s Caribbean coast. In 2025, CONTECAR and the Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena together handled over 4 million TEUs of containerised cargo. This is around 63% of all containerised cargo handled by Colombia’s public-service port companies.

The Cartagena Cruise Terminal serves 34 cruise lines, while the Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Barranquilla handled approximately 3.5 million tonnes of cargo in 2025. Together, these showcase the scale of maritime activity that will support the development of LNG bunkering infrastructure in the Colombian Caribbean.

Within this context, LNG offers an immediate route to decarbonisation that is available today, helping the maritime value chain reduce greenhouse gas and local air emissions. It also gives the sector a pathway to meet increasingly demanding international decarbonisation requirements over time, as compatible vessels and infrastructure enable the shift to liquefied biomethane and e-methane.

Alberto Consuegra, CEO of Amazónica LNG, said: “The opportunity for Amazónica LNG is focused firmly on unlocking LNG as a practical transition fuel for the region. We make this possible by further advancing shipping decarbonisation as Cartagena and the Colombian Caribbean establish themselves as a future-ready bunkering hub serving Latin America and the wider Caribbean. Joining SEA-LNG will help us expand our network and join a coalition of first movers who are dedicated to advancing the methane decarbonisation pathway.”

Steve Esau, COO of SEA-LNG, added: “Amazónica LNG’s membership extends SEA-LNG’s reach into Latin America at a pivotal moment, growing the infrastructure which is critical for methane’s global adoption. As decarbonisation requirements tighten across international shipping, Amazónica LNG’s infrastructure on Colombia’s Caribbean coast will accelerate the adoption of the methane pathway.”

LNG bunkering infrastructure continues to expand rapidly worldwide, with LNG now available at more than 220 ports globally, and LNG-fuelled vessels accounting for almost 90% of all alternative-fuel ships currently on order. 

Amazónica LNG’s membership adds Latin American port and terminal expertise to a coalition dedicated to the growth of global methane marine fuel value chain spanning owners, ports, fuel producers, OEMs, insurers, classification societies that enables the transition to sustainable shipping.

Photo credit: Amazónica LNG
Published: 19 August, 2026