Business

Concurrent bunkering services at Singapore terminals could spark new trend

Activity saves time for shipowners and frees up anchorage at port for more operations, Sentek Marine & Trading and Sinanju Tankers spokesmen both tell Manifold Times.

Published

8 years ago

March 12, 2018

Admin

Developments by Singapore terminals to introduce concurrent bunkering operations for berthed vessels loading/discharging cargoes might spark a trend for more of such activities in the future, believe Singapore marine fuel suppliers.

To date, Sentek Marine & Trading and Sinanju Tankers are the only two bunker suppliers who have conducted concurrent bunkering operations at Singapore-based terminals.

“From a shipowners point of view, concurrent bunkering saves them time and this is beneficial to them,” a source at Sentek Marine & Trading told Manifold Times.

Concurrent bunkering operations at Singapore will require bunker suppliers who are able to adapt to new operating conditions.

“The activity requires a lot more coordination with the shipping agent and terminal operator,” he explains.

“Concurrent bunkering at berth is subject to terminal instructions, and there are several logistical issues to overcome before a bunker tanker is able to approach the berth.

“A longer berth time [for the berthed vessel working at the terminal] is a must when doing concurrent bunkering as it can take up to two hours before the bunker barge is able to position itself alongside the vessel.”

Sentek Marine & Trading supplied 800 metric tonnes (mt) of 380 centistoke (cSt) grade and 70 mt of low sulphur marine gas oil (LS MGO) to the Stolt Virtue during a concurrent bunkering operation at Stolthaven Singapore in February.

In October 2017, Dutch oil storage company Vopak launched concurrent bunkering operations at its Singapore Sebarok oil terminal where Sinanju Tankers carried out the bunker delivery.

“Oil terminals have a heightened safety protocol,” says Desmond Chong, General Manager of Sinanju.

“To prepare for Sinanju’s first concurrent bunkering operations, we had several meetings with their team to understand their concerns, requirements and safety procedures.”

According to Chong, Sinanju carried out site visits, risk assessments and established communications and emergency response procedures before being approved by Vopak.

Additionally, the bunker supplier took it upon themselves to assign their most experienced crew to carry out the pioneering operation and provided them with training focusing on safety and handling emergencies.

“In light of the scarce anchorage space and focus in increasing efficiency for vessels calling in Singapore for cargo operations and bunkering, we would expect to see more concurrent bunkering operations at oil terminals, provided the terminals are in agreement,” concludes Chong.

Photo credit: Stolthaven
Published: 12 March, 2018

Legal

Singapore: Bunker Partner succeeds in High Court bid to wind up Victory Shipping

Estonia-based marine fuels and commodities trading company Bunker Partner filed a winding up application against Victory Shipping on 13 April.

Published

3 days ago

June 26, 2026

Admin

Singapore: Estonian firm Bunker Partner files bid to wind up of Victory Shipping

The High Court of Singapore granted a winding up order against Victory Shipping Pte Ltd on 12 June, according to a Thursday (25 June) notice on the Government Gazette.

The winding up application was filed by Estonia-based marine fuels and commodities trading company Bunker Partner on 13 April.

Victory Shipping, with representations in Malaysia, India and the U.A.E., operates dry bulk shipping contracts around the globe with voyages performed mainly in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

The winding up order also included the following name and address of a liquidator:

Mr Farooq Ahmad Mann
C/o M/s Mann & Associates PAC
3 Shenton Way #03-06C
Shenton House
Singapore 068805

The notice noted that all creditors of the Victory Shipping should file their proof of debt with the liquidator who will be administering all the affairs of the company.

Manifold Times previously reported a virtual hearing between Victory Shipping and Integr8 Fuels Pte Ltd, organised by the High Court of the Republic of Singapore.

The event was to set aside a statutory demand served on 3 October 2025 by Integr8 Fuels lawyers under Section 125(2)(c) and Section 10 of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 (IRDA) against Victory Shipping, according to court documents obtained by the bunkering publication.

Integr8 Fuels provides bunker trading and brokerage services to shipowners and operators that enables them to optimise fuel procurement.

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 26 June, 2026

FuelEU

Hafnia Pools surpasses 170 vessels, achieves FuelEU Maritime compliance

In announcing the company’s Q1 2026 financial results, it said five vessels joined Hafnia Pools during the first quarter of the year, bringing the total number of Pool Partners to 24 across segments.

Published

3 days ago

June 26, 2026

Admin

Hafnia Pools surpasses 170 vessels, achieves FuelEU Maritime compliance

Singapore-headquartered tanker operator Hafnia on Wednesday (24 June) the company closed Q1 2026 with more than 170 vessels trading across its pool platform.

Since November 2025, vessels entering the Pools have had an average age of six years or younger, further strengthening the competitiveness and earnings capability of the platform.

This continued inflow of modern tonnage supports Hafnia’s focus on maintaining an efficient and attractive fleet profile, while enhancing the long-term value proposition for Pool Partners.

In Hafnia’s MR Pool, six owners now each have three or more vessels committed.

During Q1 2026, Hafnia Pools successfully met the EU’s FuelEU Maritime requirements for 2025. Across the Pool, 108 vessels collectively exceeded the emissions limits; however, by working together under a “pooling” system, this was balanced out. By using cleaner vessels, biofuel, and purchased emissions credits, the Pools avoided penalties and achieved meaningful cost savings for partners.

This outcome reflects strong collaboration across Hafnia’s commercial, operational, and compliance teams, as well as constructive engagement with all Document of Compliance holders as regulations such as FuelEU come into full force.

In June 2026, Hafnia Pools further strengthened Partner engagement and alignment through its bi-annual Pool Board meeting, taking place during Posidonia in Greece.

Peter Kolding, VP Chartering Regional Trades & Pool Management, said: “As we move further into 2026, our focus remains on delivering consistent commercial results, strengthening the value proposition for all Pool Partners, and continuing to build on the close cooperation between our Chartering and Operations teams that underpins the success of the Hafnia Pools.

“I am encouraged to see that our commercial performance and efforts in staying close to our partners are paying off as we enjoy growing support from many of those same partners. It indicates that we are on the right path and energizes us to continue doing everything we can to improve even further.”

Photo credit: Hafnia
Published: 26 June, 2026

Digital platform

VPS debuts VeriSphere Webshop, enhancing digital access to marine fuel solutions

Key addition is the MySurveys application, designed to support bunker quantity survey processes by providing detailed insights into quantity losses, density variations, and bunkering performance.

Published

3 days ago

June 26, 2026

Admin

VPS debuts VeriSphere Webshop, enhancing digital access to marine fuel solutions

Marine fuels testing company VPS on Thursday (25 June) announced the launch of its VeriSphere Webshop, a major step forward in the evolution of its digital platform and customer experience.

The new webshop provides customers with direct, self-service access to a growing portfolio of VPS products and services, including digital applications, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and sampling equipment; enabling faster, more flexible engagement with VPS’s global offerings.

The VeriSphere Webshop has been designed to simplify how shipowners, operators, and stakeholders across the marine fuel value chain, access critical tools and data. Through a streamlined interface, users can:

Browse and subscribe to VPS digital applications
Purchase services and products directly online
Discover complementary solutions tailored to their operational needs from VPS as well as its ecosystem partners

Alongside the launch of the webshop module, VPS continues to expand the capabilities of its VeriSphere platform, introducing new applications and enhancing existing solutions to deliver deeper operational insights.

A key addition is the MySurveys application, designed to support bunker quantity survey processes by providing detailed insights into quantity losses, density variations, and bunkering performance. This capability represents an important step in the digitalisation of traditionally manual survey processes, enabling greater transparency and benchmarking across operations.

Further enhancements across the platform reinforce VPS’s commitment to delivering actionable, data-driven insights across fuel quality, equipment performance, and operational risk management.

With continuous improvements to applications such as PortStats and the broader VeriSphere suite, VPS is enabling customers to move beyond static reporting toward pro-active operational intelligence.

By combining its extensive global fuel quality database with advanced analytics and digital delivery, VPS aims to empowere its customers to identify risks early, optimise fuel performance, simplify compliance and improve operational efficiency.

Dr. Malcolm Cooper, CEO at VPS, said: “The launch of the VeriSphere Webshop marks an important milestone in our digital journey.

“We are making it easier than ever for our customers to access the data, insights, and tools they need, when they need them. As the maritime industry continues to evolve, our focus is on delivering scalable, digital solutions that drive better decision-making, improve operational performance of vessels, prevent downtime and support the transition towards more sustainable maritime operations.”

VPS added that the VeriSphere Platform will continue to evolve with an expanding portfolio of products, services, and ecosystem partnerships.

Photo credit: VPS
Published: 26 June, 2026