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LNG Bunkering

Argus Media: South Korea’s revised gas law promotes LNG bunkering

The separation of the LNG bunkering market, coupled with relaxations on import volumes and price regulation,is aimed at revitalising the domestic LNG market, it said.
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Jonah Foong of global energy and commodity price reporting agency Argus Media on Wednesday (5 August) published an update on the Korean government’s revised policies to lower barriers of entry to the liquified natural gas (LNG) bunkering industry and outlines its impact on fostering the fledgling sector: 

South Korea has revised legislation governing the development of its urban gas business to include LNG business for vessel use, as part of an effort to promote its domestic LNG bunkering sector.

The revised Urban Gas Business Act takes effect today and will also see the LNG bunkering sector classified separately from the existing gas market, with businesses wishing to engage in LNG bunkering subject to separate regulations.

The government expects the separation of LNG bunkering from the existing gas market, coupled with relaxations on import volumes and price regulation, to create new demand for LNG and revitalise the domestic LNG market.

The revised legislation is aimed at opening up the fledgling LNG bunkering market to more LNG suppliers to ensure robust and competitive supplies. Interested LNG bunker fuel suppliers will no longer be required to seek government approval on the price and volume of LNG imports, although the government must still be notified of any import plans.

The government has lowered the minimum requirement for private-sector firms to enter the bunkering market as LNG fuel suppliers. Firms are required to have an LNG storage tank, an LNG tank attached to a vehicle or an LNG supply vessel, as well as a minimum of 100mn won ($84,000) in capital. LNG bunkering involves the supply of the fuel from truck to ship, or from ship to ship or storage tank to ship.

South Korea has been promoting LNG bunkering by encouraging the development and distribution of “environmentally friendly” vessels, which could support demand for the use of LNG in bunkering operations, as well as vessels powered by LNG. It has already said that it will order 140 LNG-powered vessels over the next six years to support its small and medium-size shipbuilding industry.

South Korea’s LNG bunkering demand is expected to rise to 1.23mn-1.36mn t in 2030 and 3.37mn-3.43mn t in 2040, according to the Korea Energy Economics Institute. State-owned LNG importer Kogas said in 2018 that it expects demand in the domestic LNG bunkering market growing to 311,000 t/yr by 2022.

The move to foster the growth of LNG bunkering is in line with stricter restrictions on vessel emissions by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) that came into force this year. The IMO has capped the sulphur content in marine fuels at less than 0.5pc as of 1 January from 3.5pc previously, accelerating the shift away from heavy fuel oil to cleaner bunker fuels like LNG.

Kogas signed a deal last month to set up an LNG bunkering joint venture by October with steel producer Posco, shipowner Hyundai Glovis, refiner S-Oil, Busan Port Corporation and Daewoo Logistics. Kogas plans to acquire three LNG bunkering vessels as part of the venture, two of which are expected to operate in the East Sea/Sea of Japan and South Sea and another to operate in the West Sea/Yellow Sea.

Kogas also plans to develop an LNG bunkering facility in Dangjin on South Korea’s northwest coast, with a new LNG receiving facility expected to be completed in 2025. It had said in 2018 that it plans to build a new LNG bunkering facility in the southeast of the country by 2022.

The firm owns and operates five of the country’s seven terminals with a combined nameplate import capacity of 103mn t/yr. The remaining two terminals are the 3mn t/yr Boryeong, which is jointly owned by GS Energy and SK and Posco’s Gwangyang.


Photo credit: Argus Media
Published: 6 August, 2020

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LNG Bunkering

NYK: “KEYS Azalea” completes first STS LNG bunkering op for cruise ship in Japan

“KEYS Azalea”, a LNG bunkering vessel owned and operated by KEYS Bunkering West Japan, supplied LNG bunker fuel to cruise ship “ASUKA III” by ship-to-ship at Chuo Wharf in Hakata port on 14 July.
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NYK: “KEYS Azalea” completes first STS LNG bunkering op for cruise ship in Japan

NYK Line on Tuesday (15 July) said KEYS Azalea, a LNG bunkering vessel owned and operated by KEYS Bunkering West Japan (KEYS), bunkered LNG for cruise ship ASUKA III by ship-to-ship at Chuo Wharf in Hakata port on 14 July. 

Until now, KEYS Azalea has supplied LNG bunker fuel to car carriers and iron ore and coal bulk carriers and the latest milestone marked the first bunkering of cruise ships for KEYS Azalea and in Japan.

“KEYS will continue to provide safe and stable LNG bunkering and contribute to forming a carbon-neutral society and developing the LNG bunkering business in Japan,” it said. 

KEYS is a joint venture between Kyushu Electric Power, NYK Line, ITOCHU ENEX and Saibu Gas. 

Manifold Times previously reported a ceremony for KEYS Azalea was held at the Yamatomachi Shipyard of Mitsubishi Shipbuilding in Yamaguchi Prefecture to mark the vessel’s delivery. 

KEYS Azalea provides domestic coastal distribution of LNG to consumers in the Kyushu and Setouchi areas and LNG bunkering for oceangoing vessels calling ports in the region. 

The ship is Japan’s first LNG bunkering project to supply LNG to vessels in this vast area.

 

Photo credit: NYK Line
Published: 16 July 2025

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Bunker Fuel

Port of Rotterdam publishes bunker fuel sales data for Q2 2025

Port data showed 200,662 m3 of liquefied natural gas (LNG) being delivered as a marine fuel in Q2 2025, down by 17.4% from 242,931 m3 in Q2 2024.
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RESIZED port of rotterdam

The Port of Rotterdam Authority recently published bunker fuel sales data for the second quarter (Q2) of 2025.

Deliveries of ultra low sulphur fuel oil, very low sulphur fuel oil, high sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in Q2 2025 (against on year) recorded respectively 225,992 metric tonnes (mt) (+33%  from 169,953 mt), 679,442 mt (-9.1% from 747,300 mt), 914,672 mt (+10.9% from 825,125 mt), 308,292 (+18% from 260,839 mt), 99,585 mt (-8.2% from 108,428 mt). 

Bio-blended variants of ultra low sulphur fuel oil, very low sulphur fuel oil, high sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in Q2 2025 (against on year) recorded respectively 24,573 mt (-28.3% from  34,276 mt), 68,271 mt (-57% from 158,911 mt), 38,490 mt (+15.3% from 33,371 mt), 31,663 mt (+627.7% from 4,351 mt) and 2,223 mt (-30.2% from 3,184 mt).

Port data showed 200,662 m3 of liquefied natural gas (LNG) being delivered as a marine fuel in Q2 2025, down by 17.4% from 242,931 m3 in Q2 2024. Bio-methanol and bio-blended LNG recorded 53,958 mt and 4,752 m3 respectively in Q2 2025.

 

Photo credit: Port of Rotterdam
Published: 16 July, 2025

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Bunker Fuel

Singapore: Bunker fuel sales soar by 7.5% on year in June 2025

4.59 million mt of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in June, up from 4.27 million mt recorded during the similar month in 2024, according to MPA.

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July 15, 2025

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Singapore: Bunker fuel sales soar by 7.5% on year in June 2025

Sales of marine fuel at Singapore port increased by 7.5% on year in June 2025, according to Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) data.

In total, 4.59 million metric tonnes (mt) (exact 4,594,700 mt) of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in June, up from 4.27 million mt (4,274,900 mt) recorded during the similar month in 2024.

Deliveries of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in June (against on year) recorded respectively 1.70 million mt (+8.6% from 1.56 million mt), 2.31 million mt (-7.2% from 2.33 million mt), 1,900 mt (from zero), 4,500 mt (-88% from 8,000 mt) and zero (from zero).

Singapore: Bunker fuel sales soar by 7.5% on year in June 2025

Bio-blended variants of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in June (against on year) recorded respectively 38,800 mt (+671.7% from 2,500 mt), 114,300 mt (+97.9% from 45,400 mt), zero (from zero), zero (from zero) and zero (from zero). B100 biofuel bunkers, introduced in February this year, recorded 1,000 mt of deliveries in June.

LNG and methanol sales were respectively 55,400 mt (-7.8% from 51,700) and zero (from zero mt). There were no recorded sales of ammonia for the month and so far in 2025.

Related: Singapore: Bunker sales volume raises to year record high of 4.88 million mt in May
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales increase by 4% on year in April 2025
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales increase by 0.5% on year in March 2025
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales down by 8.1% on year in February 2025
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales down by 9.1% on year in January 2025

A complete series of articles on Singapore bunker volumes reported by Manifold Times tracked since 2018 can be found via the link here.

 

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 15 July 2025

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