SIBCON 2026: Singapore unveils initiatives to support multi-fuel bunkering, digitalisation

The 24th Singapore International Bunkering Conference (SIBCON), organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), was opened on Wednesday (14 October) by Mr Murali Pillai, Senior Minister of State (SMS), Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport.

Themed “Charting a Resilient Multi-Fuel Future”, the biennial conference that is being held from 13 to 15 October 2026 is expected to welcome more than 2,000 maritime professionals from over 60 countries, bringing together global leaders across the shipping, energy, and bunkering ecosystem.

Several initiatives were announced at the event to advance capabilities across different marine fuel pathways, and strengthen assurance and efficiency for ship-bunkering in Singapore.

Advancing Ammonia Bunkering

MPA and Enterprise Singapore, through the Singapore Standards Council, launched a new Technical Reference for Ammonia Bunkering (TR 148). 

“We will put the Technical Reference to the test through ammonia bunkering trials in Singapore,” said Mr Murali in his opening address at SIBCON 2026.

The TR covers requirements for safety, bunkering procedures, custody transfer and personnel competencies for the safe conduct of ammonia bunkering. Under the Singapore-Australia Green and Digital Shipping Corridor, MPA and the Pilbara Ports Authority will work together to validate the TR through the sharing of operational experience and relevant information from bunkering trials conducted at their respective ports. This collaboration will help build practical experience and strengthen the standards and operational requirements needed to support the safe and scalable deployment of ammonia bunkering globally.

To support the development of ammonia as a marine fuel, the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA) is developing a model contract for ammonia bunkering transactions. The Singapore Ammonia Bunkering Form will provide buyers and suppliers with a common basis for contracting, helping to provide greater clarity and consistency as the ammonia bunkering market evolves.

Developed over the past year with industry participants and in consultation with MPA, the Form was launched for public consultation at SIBCON 2026. Feedback can be submitted on SCMA’s website until 14 January 2027. 

“As the first model contract of its kind globally, it will give buyers and suppliers a common basis for contracting, providing greater clarity and consistency as the market evolves. I encourage industry stakeholders, including maritime lawyers, to contribute their feedback,” Mr Murali added. 

Strengthening the LNG Bunkering Capabilities

MPA will invite licence applications to operate liquefied natural gas (LNG) Floating Storage Units (FSUs) in Singapore anchorages by end-2026, subject to regulatory approvals. Following the award of eight new LNG bunker supplier licences in July 2026, the FSUs will expand storage capacity and enhance supply chain resilience to support growing demand for LNG bunkering.

Singapore’s First Ethanol Bunkering Operation

Singapore will conduct its first ethanol bunkering operation at PSA’s Pasir Panjang Terminal later this week. The operation, involving Maersk, Golden Island Pte Ltd and PSA Singapore, will use bioethanol and be conducted concurrently with cargo operations, with the quantity transferred measured using a mass flow meter (MFM).

The operation will assess how Singapore’s existing methanol bunkering technical reference, TR 129, could be adapted for ethanol, and validate the use of MFM systems for ethanol bunkering. The findings will inform the technical and regulatory requirements for future ethanol bunkering operations in Singapore.

Strengthening Digitalisation and Efficiency in Bunkering

Under Phase 1 of the Digital Bunkering initiative, the electronic bunker delivery note has been the default documentation for bunker operations in Singapore since April 2025. 

Mr Murali said Singapore’s experience with Phase 1 gives confidence that the industry can adapt successfully. 

“Take Equatorial Marine Fuel Management Services, or EMF, one of Singapore’s leading bunker suppliers. Led by second-generation owner Mr Choong Sheen Mao, the company’s Chief Operating Officer and Vice Chairman of SSA’s Marine Fuels Committee, EMF has embraced digitalisation across its bunkering operations,” he said.

He said when e-BDN was first introduced, EMF faced some challenges, including gaining acceptance from customers and their ship crew.

“It responded by bringing its operations and technology teams together to identify issues quickly and implement practical solutions. These efforts have delivered tangible benefits. EMF’s digital tools have reduced manual data entry, improved bunker barge allocation and given customers easier access to real-time information on their bunker deliveries,” he said. 

Mr Murali added that EMF’s experience shows that while moving away from familiar ways of working is not always easy, digitalisation can improve efficiency, transparency and confidence in Singapore’s bunkering ecosystem when the industry embraces change. 

Singapore will now embark on Phase 2 of the Digital Bunkering Initiative – moving beyond digital documentation towards a trusted digital data ecosystem.

Phase 2 aims to enable end-to-end security and automation of bunkering data flow from MFM systems to stakeholders and regulator. It seeks to strengthen data integrity and reduce manual data entry, enabling more efficient and secure information flow across the bunkering value chain.

MPA will launch a grant call in November 2026 to support selected trials for Phase 2. Licensed bunker craft operators can apply together with their technology partners to participate.

MPA will also launch the Bunker Supplier Management System 2.0 in the second quarter of 2027. The upgraded system will provide a unified digital platform for bunkering-related regulatory transactions, licence applications and regulatory submissions. This will improve information visibility and make regulatory transactions more efficient for the industry.

Strengthening Regional Oil Spill Response

In conjunction with SIBCON 2026, MPA will conduct a multi-agency joint oil spill exercise on 16 October, including the Revolving Fund Committee exercise with Indonesia and Malaysia, to strengthen response capabilities to oil spills at sea and enhance regional coordination. SMS Murali and representatives from Indonesia and Malaysia will observe the exercise.

Photo credit: Swapnil Bapat on Unsplash
Published: 14 October 2026