The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Friday (1 November) issued Port Marine Circular No. 12 of 2024 informing the marine industry that the use of SS 648: 2024 for the custody transfer of bunker deliveries to ocean-going ships in the Port of Singapore will be mandatory from 1 April 2025:

This circular serves to inform the maritime industry that the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will mandate the use of SS 648: 2024 for the custody transfer of bunker deliveries to ocean-going ships in the Port of Singapore from 1 April 2025. Consequently, the use of SS 648: 2019 will cease from 1 April 2025. 

Published by the Singapore Standards Council in October 2024, the SS 648: 2024 serves as the latest version of the SS 648 and is the result of a joint review of the previous version (SS648: 2019) by the MPA, Singapore Shipping Association (SSA), International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA), as well as representatives from bunker suppliers/craft operators, bunker buyers, testing and surveying companies, oil majors, equipment vendors, relevant government agencies and industry experts to meet the changing needs of the bunkering industry. 

The SS 648: 2024 is divided into 2 parts for ease of operational use. Part 1 covers pre-approval processes such as meter selection, acceptance tests, etc.; while Part 2 covers post-approval processes such as health, safety and environment requirements, metrological requirements, system integrity requirements and metering procedures. Other key changes include:  

• Updating of the acceptance test to include single tanker meter-in meter-out as an additional option for approval of Mass Flow Metering (MFM) system;
• Considerations after a software update or upgrade to provide better clarity;
• Biofuels in the coverage of the standard;
• Use of data logger and edge device with enhanced requirements for data security, data integrity and data transmission requirements;
• Replacing minimum measured quantity (MMQ) with new table on minimum bunker quantity (MBQ) for better clarity;
• Updates of the sampling requirements with new information from SS 600:2022 Code of practice for bunkering by bunker tankers using tank gauging;
• New content on digital documentation to be cross referenced to new Specification for Digital Bunkering Supply Chain Documentation; and
• Reorganisation of the content of bunker claims procedures and dispute resolution

Training Requirements for Cargo Officers and Bunker Surveyors 

The MPA has worked with SSA and IBIA to develop a refresher course on the new requirements of the SS 648: 2024, which is expected to commence from January 2025. All in-service bunker cargo officers and bunker surveyors are required to complete this refresher course (conducted by SSA and IBIA) by 1 April 2025. Bunker cargo officers and bunker surveyors that have not attained the necessary certification will not be allowed to conduct bunkering operations in the Port of Singapore.

For further information on the courses, please contact SSA and IBIA as follows: 

Singapore Shipping Association
Website: www.ssa.org.sg
Tel: 6305 2260

International Bunker Industry Association

Website: www.ibia.net
Tel: 6427 0916

Queries relating to this circular can be directed to [email protected]. 

Manifold Times previously reported Enterprise Singapore (ESG), a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Government of Singapore administering the Singapore Standardisation programme launching two new bunkering standards while revising a third benchmark at the 23rd Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition (SIBCON 2024).

Related: SIBCON 2024: Singapore launches two new bunkering standards, revises third benchmark

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 1 November, 2024

Bunkering publication Manifold Times, an official media partner of the 7th International Petroleum and Natural Gas Enterprises Conference, was present at the event to report on the following development:

Several improvements have taken place within China’s largest bunkering port since 2023 to date, said the Deputy Director of Zhoushan High-tech Zone Administrative Committee on Thursday (17 October).

Cui Yiling was giving a speech to delegates at the 7th International Petroleum and Natural Gas Enterprises Conference (IPEC 2024) in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province when she highlighted “breakthroughs” in five areas at Zhoushan port.

“Since the beginning of this year, we have benchmarked ourselves against world class ports following the highest international standards and requirements to support the development of Zhoushan’s bunkering industry,” said Ms Cui.

“We focused on maritime low carbon transition, service efficiency & improvement, market standardisation, sector engagement, and value creation – resulting in breakthroughs in five aspects.”

Green marine fuels

“Zhoushan is entering a new stage for the supply of clean marine fuels. To date, the number of LNG (liquefied natural gas) bunkering entities at Zhoushan port increased to two, while customs have approved the construction of a new 160,000 m³ (cubic meter) LNG bonded tank,” she stated.

“New biofuel blending policies are expected to be implemented in Zhoushan before the end of this year and a 1 million annual mt (metric tonne) capacity biofuel production plant is being constructed. 200,000 mt of biofuel will be put into production next year though pilot blending projects.

“A pilot truck-to-ship methanol bunkering operation was carried out and construction of methanol bunkering barges have been launched. We are in talks with stakeholders to secure green methanol.”

Operational improvements

Ms Cui noted the number of anchorages at Zhoushan port rose to 86 positions in 2024, resulting in increasing efficiency of bunkering operations. Meanwhile, the maritime department has implemented all-weather anchorage positions which are able to meet the bunkering requirements of various ship types.

Overall, bunker barges at Zhoushan have become larger and more specialised. A total of 52 white-listed bunker barges, about half having more than 4,000 mt capacity, are currently registered with the port. The figure includes 18 Zhoushan type bunker tankers with the largest having a capacity of 7,000 mt.

More than 2.73 million m³ of oil storage capacity was added to Zhoushan this year. To date, the total oil storage capacity of Zhoushan has exceeded 38 million m³.

Market standardisation

“The maritime digital fuel station has been upgraded and we are now able to supervision all parties involved in a bunkering fuel supply operation in Zhoushan,” she shared.

“In conjunction with the CPCA (China Petroleum Circulation Association), we have also launched a group technical standard for MFMs (mass flowmeters) this year and there are plans to complete the certification work of another three bunker tankers to meet ISO 22192 bunkering standards by end of this year.

“Our maritime joint law enforcement branch has been strictly controlling key links, such as barge tendering, oil transportation, and bunker measurement of marine refuelling operations. Barges not meeting regulations have been withdrawn accordingly [from the whitelist].”

Industry engagement

Ms Cui noted representatives of the Zhoushan High-tech Zone Administrative Committee have been also carrying out regular visits to large domestic and foreign shipowners and oil traders.

This year, strategic cooperations have been formed between international business entities at Rotterdam and Singapore to further develop Zhoushan’s bunkering sector; including in the areas of overseas publicity through a cooperative agreement with Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times.

Market research on new fuels has been carried out, and cooperation agreements have been formed between bunker fuel suppliers, traders, producers, and other stakeholders to jointly enhance the international influence and reputation of Zhoushan as a bonded bunker oil center.

Value creation

To date, approximately 1,600 maritime service firms have gathered at Zhoushan to help the island achieve a leading maritime position within China, she said.

“Zhoushan currently accounts for about 40% of China's repair output and crew transfer volume, and about a-third of our country’s newbuilding capacity; we are the largest foreign ship repair base and crew transfer port in China,” explained Ms Cui.

“In the first half of this year, the total output of maritime services at Zhoushan reached RMB 32.2 billion representing a year-on-year increase of more than 31%.

“Moving forward, we will continue to focus on the goal of creating a world class hub for the allocation of commodity resources and continue to make efforts in the areas of innovation, regulatory, training and more to further establish Zhoushan as Northeast Asia’s top bonded ship fuel refilling center.”

Related: IPEC 2024: CPCA releases lists of top ten global bunkering ports and marine fuel suppliers
Related: IPEC 2024: Zhoushan port records 7.04 million mt annual bunker volume for 2023
Related: China: Zhoushan to host 7th IPEC commodities, bunker conferences on 16 to 17 October

Photo credit [first image]: Zhoushan High-tech Zone Administrative Committee
Photo credit [second image]: Zhoushan Daily
Published: 25 October 2024

Content for the following story was sourced from China Petroleum Circulation Association (CPCA) which released the information to bunkering publication Manifold Times:

CPCA on Thursday (17 October) released lists of the top ten global bunkering ports and marine fuel suppliers at the 7th International Petroleum and Natural Gas Enterprises Conference (IPEC 2024) in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province.

Wang Liguo, Executive Chairman of the Marine Fuel Professional Committee at CPCA, released results of the top ten global bunkering ports, while Xu Tao, Representative of the Chairman unit of the Marine Fuel Technical Committee at CPCA, released results of the top ten international bunker fuel suppliers.

Zheng Wen, President of CPCA, meanwhile attended the meeting and delivered a speech where he encouraged China's marine fuel industry to actively implement the environmental goals of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council.

According to Mr Zheng, the ambition is to strengthen planning and policy coordination, enhance technological innovation capabilities, improve standard and specification systems to accelerate the development of low carbon and green marine fuel.

He further highlighted the use of mass flowmeters (MFMs) for bunkering should be widely promoted to support a standardised, healthy and orderly development for the Chinese marine fuel industry.

As such, Mr Zheng said CPCA is willing to work with all stakeholders by taking the initiative to share opportunities and discuss cooperation to jointly promote a green, sustainable, and high-quality development of China's marine fuels industry.

Related: IPEC 2024: Zhoushan port records 7.04 million mt annual bunker volume for 2023
Related: China: Zhoushan to host 7th IPEC commodities, bunker conferences on 16 to 17 October

Photo credit: China Petroleum Circulation Association
Published: 21 October 2024