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Interview: Nereus Digital Bunkers to launch self-developed bunker procurement ecosystem for shipping sector

Nereus Platform will help purchasers and vendors of bunker fuel transact through all stages of bunkering processes while helping them reduce operating costs and save time, amongst others.

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Nikolas Gkikas

The following is an exclusive interview by Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times with Nikolas Gkikas, founder of maritime software and brokerage company Nereus Digital Bunkers, on its Nereus Platform which connects purchasers, traders and physical suppliers of bunker fuel:  

MT: What is the current main product of the Nereus Digital Bunkers?

Nereus Digital Bunkers has developed the SaaS Platform ‘Nereus’ which helps purchasers and vendors transact through all stages of the bunkering process. It serves as an ecosystem of tools specifically designed to help purchasers and vendors to save time, reduce operating costs, minimise risk and decrease complexity. The platform provides solutions using sophisticated analytics, oil pricing forecastings that cover and exceed the needs of the industry, from marine fuel suppliers to purchasers. NEREUS platform has an active roadmap with a vision to become the ultimate ecosystem of bunkering in the digital era.

MT: What is the name for this new software and how does it enhance the Nereus Digital Bunkers platform?

The software’s name is ‘Nereus Platform’. It is a software through which vendors (traders, physical suppliers) can upload their indication prices and information about their companies. This way, purchasers can keep in touch with them through Nereus Platform. Currently, the software is in beta version and we are working on it with some strategic clients.

nereus digital bunkers 1

MT: Why will physical suppliers and traders find this software useful?

Nereus Platform provides a set of advantages that make it unique and are destined to make the life and work of supplier and traders easier and more effective. Some of these advantages are:

  • For physical suppliers and traders
  • Risk Minimisation/ Hedging Optimisation – Using the models outputs, vendors can now hedge more efficiently 
  • Time Optimisation – Providing the opportunity to buy or hedge more time efficiently reducing costs.
  • Find Clients
  • Be part of Nereus ecosystem
  • API service

All in all, Nereus aims to be the aggregator of all information related to the bunkering operations, where inquiry information is stored, organised and shared across departments. It serves as a single source of truth for the inquiries of the past and a pilot for the future inquiries. At Nereus we are fully aware that knowledge and information -at the right moment- make all the difference in our industry.

MT: How is this software different from the ones currently offered by various players in the bunkering sector?

Nereus platform differentiates itself from the rest industry like-minded software by integrating many different tools in one platform, facilitating end to end trading, inquiry processing and organised information storing of almost all bunkering operation aspects. The strongest and most competitive advantages of Nereus Platform is that it:

  • Simplifies bunkering operation workflows, by including many roles that come into play when an inquiry is processed within a company 
  • Helps vendors gain market clarity and stay up to date with market trends, through state of the art analytics and the predictive power of AI technology.

With the Nereus Platform, workload management is reduced by 68% (actual data from user analytics and customer surveys). Our oil forecasting accuracy is 73% (empirical observation from real world platform performance).

nereus digital bunkers 2

MT: What kind of helpful information can users expect from the analytics market insights available in your software and how is this information different from the info available from information providers?

Nereus Analytics is employing various statistical models including multivariate linear models to identify primary risk factors and proxy the fair prices of assets against these risk factors. We also provide historical data across the board for ad hoc decisions, customised signals to clients by exploring “big data” and adding value to the daily workload.

The models can be based on fundamental and technical analysis, sentiment and valuations to generate signals for various assets.  For example, the sentiment signal for buying Oil contracts has a high “Hit” to “Miss” working as a contrarian over a certain time horizon. Our forecasting capabilities have provided a new approach to the bunkering world. Nereus Analytics has developed oil forecasting models based on: Commodity Analytics, Market Valuations, Market Sentiment and more. Using various statistical tools to analyse the market data on oil, Nereus Analytics has managed to provide to their clients the tools to make the right decisions at the right time using the best solution.

MT: What were the challenges and considerations faced through development of this software and how did your team overcome them?

Custom software development is often surrounded by issues of what the client wants and expects and what the development team understands and delivers.      

Budgets ran over, releases were slow and delivery was disjointed, with each party’s expectations never being met. Initially the new engagement also had expectation mismatches but then we created a dedicated team. The teams started working as one team with interactive workshops that resulted in clear user stories which went to development only after sign off. This process was refined over time with constant meetups and even joint testing sessions as a team resulting in a successful integrated team with quality delivery being our main focus.

MT: What visions do you expect from this new piece of software? What do you hope to achieve through its launch?

Through my 18-year career in the shipping industry, where I was working firstly as an agent in the Port of Los Angeles, then as a bunker broker in Connecticut Greenwich and then as a bunker trader in Greece, I had the opportunity to engage with the bunker industry from many different viewpoints. Through my experience, I managed to see the gap in the industry, which of course was the absence of the tools that technology provides. For this reason, market research and communication with clients was a time-consuming process. As a result, by using all the experience and the information I gathered all these years, I decided to create a start-up in the shipping industry and take advantage of the big trend of technological transition that defines our time. Nereus Digital Bunkers’ vision is to create an ecosystem for bunkering, where purchasers and vendors will come in touch with each other and communicate.

nereus digital bunkers 3

MT: Why will physical suppliers and traders find this software useful?

Nereus Platform provides a set of advantages that make it unique and are destined to make the life and work of supplier and traders easier and more effective. Some of these advantages are:

For physical suppliers and traders:

  • Risk Minimisation/ Hedging Optimisation – Using the models outputs, vendors can now hedge more efficiently 
  • Time Optimisation – Providing the opportunity to buy or hedge more time efficiently reducing costs.
  • Find Clients
  • Be part of Nereus ecosystem
  • API service

All in all, Nereus aims to be the aggregator of all information related to the bunkering operations, where inquiry information is stored, organised and shared across departments. It serves as a single source of truth for the inquiries of the past and a pilot for the future inquiries. At Nereus we are fully aware that knowledge and information -at the right moment- make all the difference in our industry.

 

Photo credit: Nereus Digital Bunkers
Published: 21 October, 2022

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Emissions reporting

ZeroNorth and Veracity by DNV launch end-to-end emissions reporting, verification service

New offering combines ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform with Veracity platform and DNV’s Emissions Connect verification services to deliver an end-to-end compliance solution.

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ZeroNorth and Veracity by DNV launch end-to-end emissions reporting, verification service

Maritime technology solutions provider ZeroNorth on Friday (16 May) said it has partnered with Veracity by DNV to launch a fully integrated emissions reporting and verification service for the maritime industry. 

Teekay is the first customer that will be implementing the service across its fleet, following successful testing and development.

As regulatory requirements tighten, ZeroNorth said maritime operators face growing demands for emissions transparency and reporting integrity. At the same time, poor data quality remains an industry-wide challenge. 

“The new offering combines ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform with the Veracity platform and DNV’s Emissions Connect verification services to deliver an end-to-end compliance solution,” the company said in a statement. 

“The offering simplifies compliance by integrating automated data reporting with expert validation, reducing administrative burdens and improving data reliability.”

A key differentiator is the multi-layered data quality feedback loop, which ensures emissions data undergoes rigorous validation at multiple stages. Verification warnings from Veracity by DNV are automatically flagged to ZeroNorth’s data quality team, which then works directly with vessel crews to resolve discrepancies before final submission to authorities. 

This reduces compliance risks and enhances regulatory confidence while supporting continuous monitoring of EU MRV, IMO DCS, CII ratings, EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime compliance.

Teekay, a long-standing customer of ZeroNorth, participated in early testing of the solution and providing operational feedback. Since its successful implementation with Teekay, the service has been rolled out to two additional customers, and further deployments are underway.

Anders Schulze, Chief Operations Officer at ZeroNorth, said: “The maritime industry faces growing pressure to ensure emissions data is not just reported, but verified to the highest standards. Yet fragmented systems and manual processes continue to undermine data quality and increase compliance risk. 

“By combining ZeroNorth’s data and analytics capabilities with Veracity by DNV’s verification expertise, we are directly addressing this challenge. Our goal is to build trust in emissions data and reduce complexity for shipowners and charterers. We’re especially pleased that Teekay, a long-time partner, played a central role in shaping and validating the service.”

Mikkel Skou, Managing Director at Veracity by DNV, said: “At Veracity by DNV, the value of our ecosystem is built on strong partnerships, exemplified by our collaboration with ZeroNorth.

“By integrating trusted data and solutions like ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform, we create a robust network that supports collaboration and drives sustainable growth in the maritime industry. 

“We look forward to continuing working towards our ambition to deliver trust and connectivity to the industry through this partnership with ZeroNorth.”

Mikkel Seidelin, Chief Commercial Officer at Teekay, said: “Partnering with ZeroNorth improves our ability to navigate complexities seamlessly, leveraging on data and technology to optimise our performance and reduce inefficiencies.

“When we are equipped with verified, end-to-end data, it empowers us as owners towards seamless decision-making, resulting in real sustainable and operational target-achievements.”

 

Photo credit: ZeroNorth
Published: 16 May, 2025

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LNG Bunkering

Singapore: FueLNG achieves 400th LNG bunkering operation milestone

Bunker tanker “FueLNG Bellina” successfully delivered LNG bunker fuel to “BYD Shenzhen”, the world’s largest LNG-fuelled car carrier at Singapore anchorage during its maiden voyage.

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Singapore: FueLNG achieves 400th LNG bunkering operation milestone

Singapore’s licensed LNG bunker supplier FueLNG on Thursday (15 May) announced the successful completion of its 400th LNG ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operation in the republic.

FueLNG, a joint venture between Keppel Offshore & Marine and Shell Eastern Petroleum Pte Ltd, marked the milestone with bunker tanker FueLNG Bellina successfully refuelling BYD Shenzhen, the world’s largest LNG-fuelled car carrier, at Singapore anchorage during its maiden voyage.

“With a capacity of 9,200 vehicles and equipped with dual-fuel LNG propulsion, the BYD SHENZHEN represents the next generation of low-emission maritime transport,” it said in a social media post. 

Shell said it supported BYD Shenzhen on its maiden voyage as the supplier of the LNG bunker fuel. 

“Like all LNG dual fuel vessels, BYD Shenzhen is on the pathway to net zero emissions. She can take bio-LNG, and in the future e-LNG, in her fuel mix for further emission reduction and regulatory compliance,” it said in a separate social media post. 

 

Photo credit: Shell
Published: 16 May, 2025

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Biofuel

Hong Kong: CPN hits new record for China’s largest B24 biofuel bunkering operation

Chimbusco Pan Nation delivered 6,300 mt of B24-VLSFO in Hong Kong to boxship “XIN LOS ANGELES” on 15 May, exceeding its previous record of 5,500 mt delivered in February 2025.

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Hong Kong: CPN hits new record for China's largest B24 biofuel bunkering operation

Hong Kong-based bunker supplier Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical (CPN) on Friday (16 May) said it has set a record for China’s largest B24 marine biofuel bunkering operation.

CPN said it delivered 6,300 metric tonnes (mt) of B24-VLSFO in Hong Kong to container ship XIN LOS ANGELES on 15 May. 

The supply exceeded CPN’s previous record of 5,500 mt delivered to the same ship in February 2025.

“This collaboration reinforces CPN’s ability to execute large-scale marine biofuel bunkering with precision and reliability,” the company said in a social media post.

“By consistently supplying large volumes of B24 marine biofuel, CPN supports reduced carbon emissions and sustainable shipping practices globally.”

Related: CPN achieves largest B24 bio bunker fuel delivery in Hong Kong and China

 

Photo credit: Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical
Published: 16 May, 2025

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