Alternative Fuels

INTERVIEW: 80-90 times YOY growth for Singapore LNG bunkering volumes in 2021, says FueLNG

A number of LNG-fuelled container vessels and tankers have confirmed their term bunkering plans from Singapore; sector poised for sharp growth with delivery of FueLNG Bellina, says General Manager.

Published

4 years ago

March 11, 2021

Admin

The following interview arranged by Conference Connection is part of pre-event coverage for the upcoming 12th International Fujairah Bunkering & Fuel Oil Forum (FUJCON 2021), where Manifold Times is an official media partner. Readers can register for the virtual event by clicking on the link here.

Bunkering volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at Singapore port is set to grow by up to 90 times in 2021 compared to last year, says the General Manager of licensed LNG bunker supplier FueLNG, a locally formed joint venture between Keppel Offshore & Marine and Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd.

“In 2020, most of the regular LNG bunkering in Singapore have been carried out by truck-to-ship, although the number of operations is in 100’s the actual bunkered volume is rather limited,” Saunak Rai tells Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times.

“With the commencement of ship-to-ship LNG bunkering in Singapore from 2021, we are expecting about an 80 to 90 times increase in annual LNG bunkering volumes at Singapore port.”

According to Rai, major factors contributing to the growth will be due to the availability of FueLNG Bellina – Singapore’s first dedicated LNG bunker vessel (LBV) – back by the republic’s status as a major container port, wherein LNG bunkering can be carried out within the time for cargo operations, resulting in time efficiency.

The development will be further supported by the earlier release of updated TR56 recommendations for LNG bunkering in Singapore, which provides certainty of regulations and detailed guidance for successful LNG Bunkering operations, together with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) initiatives incentivizing Singapore Ship Owners investing in reducing cO2 emissions and reduction in port dues to LNG-fuelled vessels calling at Singapore.

“The outlook for Singapore’s LNG bunkering sector appears very bright. A number of LNG-fuelled container vessels and tankers have already confirmed their term bunkering plans from Singapore and we are also seeing spot interests from bulk carriers and car carriers,” he adds.

“FueLNG has been an early mover, and ordered a LBV speculatively in 2016 even though the LNG bunker demand pipeline was not well formulated in Singapore. This decision gave us an immediate advantage now, having a LBV operational in Singapore.”

To date, FueLNG has carried out over 300 truck-to-ship LNG bunkering operations in Singapore, notes Rai.

“We have continuously learned and improved from these operations, making each new operation more efficient than the previous one,” he says.

“We have also shared our feedback with various government authorities and provided them with recommendations to increase efficiency of the logistics chain. A number of these have been accepted and implemented.”

Rai believes Singapore, the world’s largest bunkering hub for traditional marine fuels, is on the right track to also become the world’s largest LNG bunkering port.

“Singapore has unique advantages of geographical location, efficient marine ecosystem, diverse infrastructure and robust regulations. This has a played a big role in it becoming the world’s largest bunkering hub [traditional marine fuels],” he explains.

“To continue the growth and reach the level of world’s largest LNG bunkering hub, Singapore needs to look into further infrastructure investment for LNG loading facilities, and also focus on further reducing logistics costs.”

Moving forward, Rai notes Fujairah and U.A.E. already having many attributes needed to succeed as a LNG bunkering hub; such as access to cheap LNG from regional LNG producers in UAE and Qatar, a geographical location near major shipping traffic, an efficient Marine ecosystem, and the Dubai Supply Authority (DUSUP) FSRU which can be utilised as a loading facility for LNG Bunker vessels.

“Now, what is needed is a mechanism to incentivise the early adopters, both on the supply as well as the demand side,” he observes.

“In addition, clear guidance on rules and regulations regulating LNG bunkering in Fujairah needs to established in consultation with local industries and LNG Bunkering experts.”

Note: Saunak Rai will be speaking at Session 6: Post 2020 Future Fuels Landscape: Outlook for LNG, Hydrogen, Methanol & Biofuels at FUJCON 2021.

Photo credit: FueLNG
Published: 11 March, 2021

Biofuel

Singapore: GCMD introduces new technique for FAME bio bunker fuel fingerprinting

Fingerprinting identifies feedstock origins of FAME-based biofuels used in shipping industry; can be used as a potential tool to detect fraud in marine fuel supply chains and ensure biofuel authenticity.

Published

8 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

Singapore: GCMD introduces new technique for FAME bio bunker fuel fingerprinting

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Monday (2 December) released its latest report, presenting a new technique that creates a fingerprint for Fatty Acid Methyl Esters(FAME) bio bunker fuels.

This fingerprint identifies the feedstock origins of the FAME-based biofuels used in the shipping industry.

GCMD said FAME fingerprinting is needed as the shipping sector is increasingly using biofuels, such as FAME, to reduce its GHG emissions. With that, concerns have arisen regarding the legitimacy of biofuels and whether they are truly sustainable.

Industry bodies are seeing a rising number of cases mislabelling biofuels purported to be made from recycled oils and fats, while suspicions persist that they might be produced from cheaper and less sustainable virgin oils.

“To address these concerns, FAME fingerprinting can be used as a potential tool to detect fraud in marine fuel supply chains and ensure biofuel authenticity. By providing a physical validation method that complements existing certification schemes, FAME fingerprinting can help justify the green premium with genuine environmental benefits and safeguard the integrity of marine fuels supply chain,” GCMD said.

FAME fingerprinting is based on the principle that the fatty acid profile of FAME is unique to its feedstock and can be preserved during feedstock transesterification to produce FAME. The "fingerprint" can then be compared against a database of known fatty acid profiles to identify the feedstock origin.

GCMD worked with VPS who modified existing fuel testing methods to carry out sample analyses using a gas chromatograph with flame-ionisation detection, an instrument commonly found in fuel test laboratories.

The analysis takes about an hour, comparable to the turnaround time for current marine fuel quality testing in the supply chain.

“We have tested this method on a variety of FAME samples from different suppliers, including virgin oils, used cooking oils, palm oil mill effluent, beef tallow and food waste and were able to identify the feedstock origins for each sample,” GCMD added.

Manifold Times previously reported Captain Rahul Choudhuri, President, Strategic Partnerships at marine fuels testing company VPS, forecasting the use of finger printing technology today will likely establish a blueprint of how future alternative bunker fuels’ feedstocks are authenticated.

Captain Choudhuri said this when he gave an update of VPS’ biofuels finger printing trials with GCMD.

Note: The full report, titled ‘Rapid forensic analysis of FAME-based biofuels: Potential use of its fingerprint as a fraud detection tool’, can be downloaded here.

Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 2 December, 2024

Methanol

PLAGEN to produce and supply green methanol bunker fuel with Latvia plant

Korean firm’s MoU with AE Risinājumi will see construction of Latvia’s first commercial-scale green methanol production plant, which will supply green methanol to ships in EU’s maritime fleet.

Published

8 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

PLAGEN to produce and supply green methanol bunker fuel with Latvia plant

South Korean clean energy firm PLAGEN on Friday (29 November) signed an MOU with Latvian company, AE Risinājumi, for the production of green methanol in Latvia at the “2024 Latvia-Korea Business Forum” hosted by the President of Latvia.

The agreement will result in the construction of Latvia's first commercial-scale green methanol production plant, which will supply green methanol to ships in the EU's maritime fleet, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transportation.

PLAGEN's MoU aims to produce 20,000 metric tonnes (mt) of green methanol per year and will begin feasibility studies in the first half of 2025, and full-scale production will begin in 2028.

With 53% of Latvia's land area covered by forests, timber production and wood processing make a significant contribution to Latvia’s economic production, which generates a large amount of forest residues and wood wastes. In addition, Latvia also has an abundance and low price of renewable electricity from wind power.

Latvia is one of the most competitive countries in the European Union, as it can produce clean methanol at a competitive price by using abundant wood waste as a raw material and renewable electricity from cheap wind power.

The use of abundant forest residues and wood wastes as a feedstock and cheap renewable electricity from wind power makes it possible to produce green methanol with a competitive price, making Latvia is one of the most competitive countries in the EU.

In the European Union, the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) will come into effect in 2025, requiring shipping companies to purchase carbon credits for their greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, the EU is implementing FuelEU Maritime, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2% below the 2020 average by 2025 and 80% by 2050. This is expected to result in an energy transition to green methanol.

In July 2023, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a revised strategy that calls for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships to net-zero by or around 2050, and plans to introduce full-scale regulations from 2027, and shipping companies have begun ordering methanol-powered ships fueled by green methanol, a carbon-neutral fuel.

“We expect to start producing green methanol in Latvia in 2028, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from EU maritime transport vessels and contribute significantly to the revitalization of the Latvian economy and national energy security,” said John Kyung, CEO of PLAGEN.

In November 2024, PLAGEN completed the purchase of an industrial complex and received a government permit for the construction of the country's first green methanol plant in Dongjeom Industrial Complex in Taebaek City, Gangwon-do.

The project, which will produce 10,000 mt per year, is scheduled to begin construction in the first half of 2025 and begin production in the second half of 2027.

Photo credit: PLAGEN
Published: 2 December, 2024

LNG Bunkering

Molgas commences LNG bunkering operations in United Kingdom

Firm successfully completed the first LNG bunkering of “MV Glen Sannox” since the ship was handed over to CalMac Ferries Limited last week.

Published

8 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

Molgas commences LNG bunkering operations in United Kingdom

Molgas Group on Friday (29 November) said it successfully completed the first LNG bunkering of the MV Glen Sannox since the ship was handed over to CalMac Ferries Limited last week, marking its entry into the United Kingdom.

“We would like to thank CalMac Ferries Limited and Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited for their trust and long-term collaboration,” the firm said in a social media post.

“This project not only represents a significant step forward in the adoption of cleaner fuels in the maritime industry of the United Kingdom but also for the expansion of our Pan-European Supply Network for the Marine Segment to receive (bio)LNG via various supply assets across multiple countries and ports.”

Photo credit: Molgas Group
Published: 2 December, 2024