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Appeals for investigations into VLSFO as possible cause behind increasing ship incidents

VLSFO was rushed into the maritime industry to meet IMO2020 regulations and it has shown signs of exceeding set safety parameters, reports Forbes.

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Nishan Degnarain, founder of Breakthrough Ocean Ventures and contributor at Forbes on Wednesday (20 January) published an article regarding the possibility of (Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil) VLSFO as the reason for causing various ship incidents over the past year, such as engine failures and oil spills.

In the article, Degnarain refers to VLSFO as an ‘experimental new type of ship fuel’ that has shown signs of exceeding safety parameters set by engine manufacturers and could possibly release higher greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fuel.

One of the stated reasons behind this is the fuel was rushed into the maritime industry to meet IMO2020 regulations that was set by the International Maritime Organization to sidestep criticisms for the industry not being compliant with the Paris Climate Agreement, he said. 

Various environmental organisations like Ocean Rebellion have called for the industry to ‘come clean’ and be more transparent about what is in this new breed of fuel.

Some other concerns include insufficient consultation with seafarers prior to the introduction of the fuel which led to incidents like Panama-flagged tanker MT New Diamond which caught fire after an engine explosion off the Sri Lankan coast.

Similarly, the survivors of Gulf Livestock 1 reported an engine failure that ultimately led to the vessel’s sinking.

Dr. Sian Prior, Arctic Alliance Lead Advisor to Clean Arctic Alliance, a coalition made of non-profit organisations (NGO), has made multiple statements regarding the damaging nature of VLSFO especially when used in the arctic.

Dr. Prior urges for the shipping industry to ultimately ‘must move away from its dependence on fossil fuels both in the Arctic and globally’.

Other environmental NGO leaders cited in the article expressed similar sentiments for the shipping industry to permanently move away from burning any form of fossil fuels.

In the article, Degnarain also alleges that Governments around the world have admitted to not accurately monitoring if VLSFO complies with safety standards.

Meanwhile, there is evidence that VLSFO is both more carbon intensive – because of the refining process – and can have poorer performance than heavy fuel oil.

Purportedly, engine manufacturers such as MAN Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of the German carmaker Volkswagen Group have observed that with the introduction of VLSFO, there was an increase in mechanical issues due to off spec fuel like an increased wearing in the engine liners.

While there is no clear-cut solution, NGO leaders generally agreed that governments need to ‘comprehensively’ regulate emissions within their national waters, and aggressively pursue the ‘zero-emissions’ pathway, while the IMO has a critical role to play in formalizing global best practices within the industry.

Degnarain also warns against intermittent solutions that would cause similar problems in the future such as the use of liquified natural gas (LNG) as a transition fuel.


Photo credit: International Maritime Organisation
Published: 28 January, 2021

 

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Milestone

Singapore retains titles as Best Global Seaport and Best Seaport in Asia

Port of Singapore has been named the “Best Global Seaport” for the third consecutive year and the “Best Seaport in Asia” for the 35th time at the 2023 AFLAS Awards.

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Singapore retains titles as Best Global Seaport and Best Seaport in Asia

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore on Friday (29 September) said the Port of Singapore has been named the “Best Global Seaport” for the third consecutive year and the “Best Seaport in Asia” for the 35th time at the 2023 Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain (AFLAS) Awards.

These accolades recognise the contributions by the Port of Singapore serving as a key node in the global supply chain, and Singapore’s leadership in driving maritime decarbonisation and transformation.

The annual AFLAS Awards is organised by freight and logistics publication, Asia Cargo News, to honour leading service providers in the supply chain community for demonstrating leadership as well as consistency in service quality, innovation, customer relationship management and reliability. Winners were determined by votes cast by readers of the publication.

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Mr Chee Hong Tat, Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance, said: “Singapore is honoured to be named the Best Global Seaport and Best Seaport in Asia. These awards are the result of the shared effort and strong collaboration between the Government, industry, unions and workers. We will continue to grow our port as an efficient, sustainable, and trusted node in global supply chains.”

Mr Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of MPA, said: “These awards are testament to the partnership and collaboration between Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) with industry and international partners, the research and enterprise community, as well as unions. MPA remains committed to fostering an environment that encourages enterprise, innovation, and talent development.”

“We will continue to work with our partners to enhance Singapore’s connectivity, advance digitalisation efforts, and accelerate the decarbonisation of international shipping in line with the 2023 IMO strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships.”

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore 
Published: 29 September, 2023

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Employment

Melvin Lum appointed as KPI OceanConnect Global Accounts Commercial Director in Singapore 

Lum will take on the position of Commercial Director from Thomas Lee who was recently promoted to Head of APAC in a management restructure within KPI OceanConnect.

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Melvin Lum appointed as KPI OceanConnect Global Account Commercial Director in Singapore

Global marine energy solutions provider KPI OceanConnect on Thursday (28 September) announced the appointment of Melvin Lum as Commercial Director for its Global Accounts team in Singapore.

Lum will take on the position of Commercial Director from Thomas Lee who was recently promoted to Head of APAC in a management restructure within KPI OceanConnect. 

The Global Accounts team is an expert unit within KPI OceanConnect, specialised in providing long-term, tailored fuel strategy solutions to a portfolio of Key Accounts on a global scale. Dedicated regional teams located in London, Houston and Singapore work seamlessly across the world and around the clock to support their clients.

Lum joined KPI OceanConnect in 2021 as Senior Key Account manager and has made a significant contribution to the development of the team and optimisation of the daily operations of the unit in Singapore. Lum has vast experience across the supply chain and previously worked with TotalEnergies, Glencore and Global Energy Group prior to joining KPI OceanConnect.

Henrik Zederkof, Head of Global Accounts at KPI OceanConnect, said: "It is always a pleasure to witness the growth of our team members, and Melvin's progression is no exception. I have full confidence in Melvin's expertise, ability to lead the unit and dedication to his team. I look forward to seeing the progress of Melvin and his team, which will undoubtedly bring significant value to our numerous partners and the wider organisation.”

"Melvin will assume a pivotal role within the Global Accounts management team, leveraging his extensive experience in supply chain management and profound insight into emerging technologies. In his new role, Melvin will further enhance our team's skill set, aligning them with our ongoing objectives of supporting our partners in their green transition and digitalisation endeavours."

Melvin Lum, Commercial Director of KPI OceanConnect Global Accounts in Singapore, said: "I am very appreciative of the support and confidence from our management team as I take on this exciting new role. I am enthusiastic to work with the team as we continue to deliver an exceptional experience to our partners and stakeholders with dedication, innovation and passion."

Photo credit: KPI OceanConnect 
Published: 29 September, 2023

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Biofuel

TotalEnergies Marine Fuels renews ISCC EU certification for bio bunker fuel  

Firm’s operations teams in Singapore and Geneva successfully renewed its ISCC EU sustainability certification for the supply of biofuel bunkers, says Louise Tricoire, Vice President.

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TotalEnergies Marine Fuels renews ISCC EU certification for bio bunker fuel

Louise Tricoire, Vice President of TotalEnergies Marine Fuels recently said the firm’s operations teams in Singapore and Geneva successfully renewed its International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) EU sustainability certification for the supply of biofuel bunkers.

“This means that TotalEnergies Marine Fuels can continue sourcing and supplying marine biofuels in accordance with EU renewable energy regulations ensuring the highest sustainability standards,” she said in a social media. 

“It's the third year in a row that we have successfully renewed this certification, after a deep and comprehensive audit which showed zero non-conformity.”

She added marine biofuels have grown in demand among shipping companies that want to cut greenhouse gas emissions immediately. 

“TotalEnergies Marine Fuels offers marine biofuels commercially in Singapore and we are starting in Europe. This certification enables us to accompany our customers in their decarbonisation journey with the best standard solutions available today.”

Photo credit: TotalEnergies Marine Fuels
Published: 29 September, 2023

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