Singapore-based bunker supplier and logistics services provider Consort Bunkers Pte Ltd on Tuesday (18 April) took delivery of Pearl Khaoyai at Penglai Zhongbai Jinglu Ship Industry Co., Ltd. (Jinglu shipyard) in Shangdong province, China.
The Singapore-flagged 7,999 dwt bunker tanker is the third of seven ‘K’ series newbuild bunker tankers ordered by the company in 2020 and will be supporting marine refuelling operations of Maersk Oil Trading, Mr SK Yeo, Founder of Consort Bunkers, told Manifold Times.
“The last of our ‘K’ series bunker tankers will be upgraded to become an IMO Type 2 chemical tanker for future-proof bunkering operations involving traditional marine fuels and their green alternatives including biofuel and methanol,” shared Mr Yeo.
“We are expecting delivery of this vessel in the first quarter of 2024; Consort Bunkers will be amongst the first Singapore bunker suppliers to operate a newbuild IMO Type 2 bunker tanker for local marine fuel deliveries when this happens.”
On the occasion, Mr Yeo said Consort Bunkers also placed a newbuilding order at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. in early April for six 6,500 dwt IMO Type 2 bunker tankers as part of Consort Bunkers’ fleet renewal programme.
The 6,500 dwt newbuilds are also capable of delivering a wide variety of conventional marine fuels as well as sustainable green fuels including biofuel and methanol.
“These six vessels represent our ‘L’ series of bunker tankers that will commence delivery from 2024 to 2025,” he said while stating the latest orders for upgraded IMO Type 2 bunker tankers as necessary for supporting bunkering operations coming IMO 2030.
“Biofuel and methanol – forecasted as amongst likely candidates to assist the shipping industry’s decarbonisation drive towards IMO 2030/2050 – are considered chemicals and have to be transported by chemical tankers outfitted with either stainless steel or coated piping, coated tanks and other features due to safety regulations.
“The decision to support shipping’s decarbonisation led to the construction for a new breed of marine refuelling ships at the Jinling shipyard; it is also aligned with the Maritime Singapore Decarbonisation Blueprint published by the MPA (Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore) last year.
“We also note of the MPA introducing a provisional national standard on specifications of marine biofuel (WA 2:2022) which we took into consideration when committing to the latest IMO Type 2 bunker tanker order.”
Moving forward, Mr Yeo shared of Consort Bunkers selling the 2018-built Pearl Mercury and 2019-built Pearl Majestic to respective European and Middle East buyers; both 8,000 dwt vessels are part of seven ‘M’ series sisterships ordered from a Chinese yard in 2016.
“From 2016 to date [in 2023], construction costs for newbuild bunker tankers capable of carrying convention bunker fuels has appreciated between 30-40%,” observed Mr Yeo.
“Our latest exercise [of ‘L’ series newbuilding orders] has shown a further 15-20% premium in construction costs when factoring in current prices of conventional bunker tankers against the new breed of IMO Type 2 marine fuel delivery vessels.”
Consort Bunkers was ranked 18th on MPA’s list of all bunker suppliers ranked by volume in 2022 (versus 20th in 2021).
Related: Singapore: Consort Bunkers welcomes first of seven 7,999 dwt ‘K’ series newbuild bunker tankers to bunkering fleet
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Photo credit: Consort Bunkers
Published: 20 April, 2023
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