John Bergman, CEO, shares how Auramarine is supporting its clients in navigating shipping’s multi-fuel future, amidst tightening global regulations and the importance of lifecycle care for FSS which is usually overlooked by shipowners:

MT: With the diversity of alternative bunker fuels, what is your advice for shipowners in picking the “right” fuel supply system to invest in for their operations? What are the factors that would help determine this?

Fuel choice will always be the shipowner’s call, but my advice is to be pragmatic and future focused, in line with the energy transition that needs to happen to meet industry regulations and decarbonisation targets. We are entering a multi-fuel era, and flexibility will be king. The winners will be those who can create a cohesive and clear strategy adapting quickly, adopting biofuels, LNG, methanol or ammonia, in conjunction with implementing  energy-efficiency technologies and smarter operational measures.

Every vessel is unique, but the fundamentals of what is needed from a fuel supply system do not change: safety, adaptability, cost and operational efficiency, and short lead times matter most. Whether it is a newbuild or retrofit, the right system must handle varying fuel types with ease, and a compact footprint that frees up revenue-generating space is always a bonus.

Above all, ship owners and operators need to partner with suppliers who truly understand the complexity of the multi-fuel future and can offer fuel-agnostic, fully integrated solutions. This is central to building the confidence and the partnerships within the market that will accelerate uptake of future fuels and new technologies.

MT: What are the common misconceptions ship owners or operators have about fuel supply systems, particularly for alternative fuels?

One common misconception is that we only focus on fuel supply systems when, in fact, we look at the entire fuel supply ecosystem from bunkering stations, tanks, monitoring  to safety automation systems.

Our Porla Analyser solution, for example, ensures the stability and compatibility of oils with the recommended mixing order. This enhances bunkering safety, helps avoid unintended maintenance, reduces downtime and associated costs. Similarly, we launched the Auramarine Fuel Economiser (AFE), a data collection system for the reduction of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The AFE monitors and measures the entire fuel consumption of vessels across a whole fleet, collecting data from fuel and power-related systems on board. This helps ship owners and operators proactively analyse and identify where potential fuel and emissions savings can be made, often by 5% to 20%; this is particularly important and relevant in the future fuels world, where the price of product is anticipated to be far more expensive than it is in today’s market.  

MT: How is Auramarine supporting its clients in navigating shipping’s multi-fuel future, particularly in light of tightening global maritime regulations?

We put the customer first and take a fuel-agnostic stance because the road to net zero will not be a linear one-fuel journey. Biofuels, methanol, ammonia, LNG, each will have its place, and our job is to help shipowners choose the right path for their vessels and to support them in developing the right strategy.

Our teams are not siloed into single-fuel expertise. Every Auramarine expert is trained across R&D, engineering, automation, and every fuel type, so clients get well-rounded guidance rooted in deep technical and industry knowledge. That means we can support any fuel choice with equal confidence, delivering solutions that are safe, efficient and compliant, both today and decades from now.

MT: What is the key part about fuel supply systems that are usually overlooked by shipowners and operators? Why is this important not to be disregarded?

A commonly overlooked aspect of fuel supply systems is the importance of lifecycle care, including ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure operational excellence of the system. Continually monitoring system performance, carrying out preventative maintenance and implementing key upgrades are essential to operational efficiency and extending equipment life.

Providing end-to-end support for all elements of a vessel is especially critical as the industry continues to evolve: from software that supports reporting for emissions regulations and generating operational efficiencies; market leading hardware and equipment such as fuel supply systems that supports the safe delivery of current and future fuels; and installation and ongoing lifecycle support that ensures the integrity and performance of solutions. As fuels diversify and risks evolve, this level of care becomes even more critical, protecting investments, keeping fleets compliant and maintaining performance in a fast-changing world.

Photo credit: Auramarine
Published: 10 September, 2025