MCS 2026: PIL challenges students to develop solution to optimise bunkering decisions

The Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) on Friday (23 October) announced the winning teams of the MaritimeONE Case Summit (MCS) 2026 at the Award Ceremony. Mr. Murali Pillai, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport, attended the event as Guest-of-Honour.

Now in its 7th edition, the objectives of the MaritimeONE Case Summit are to galvanise students from Singapore’s universities and polytechnics to apply their knowledge to practical challenges from the industry; while helping them hone their ability to work in teams, acquire cross-disciplinary skills, and build professional networks.

This year’s four challenge statements, issued by leading maritime companies AET, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Petredec Global and Pacific International Lines (PIL), spanned safer and more efficient lightering operations, a credible framework to measure and reduce carbon emissions, strategies to strengthen energy security, and data-driven approaches to optimise bunkering decisions across ports.

The challenge statement set by PIL focused on developing a decision-support solution to optimise bunkering decisions across ports by evaluating fuel prices, vessel constraints and operational factors to improve cost efficiency. 

Mr. Abhishek Chawla, Chief Marine Officer, Pacific International Lines, said: “Fuel procurement is an increasingly complex and dynamic activity, driving the need for more informed, timely, and cost-effective data-driven decision-making. 

“The teams have demonstrated a good understanding of these challenges, recognising the factors that influence bunkering decisions and the potential of data, analytics, and digital tools to enhance decision quality and operational efficiency. 

“Their proposals have remained focused on the objectives of the case challenge and offer promising ideas for further development. We look forward to seeing the teams’ final solutions and the value they can bring to the future of maritime fuel procurement.”

Team Bunkology, champion team of PIL, said: “MCS 2026 gave us the opportunity to step beyond the classroom and apply our knowledge to tackle real-world challenges facing Singapore’s maritime industry. In turn, we hope to explore new perspectives and deepen our understanding of the issues before challenging ourselves to develop innovative solutions. 

“Competitions like MCS are valuable for Singaporean youth as they foster collaboration and develop practical problem-solving skills, encouraging them to play a greater role in shaping the future of Maritime Singapore.”

The competition drew 374 students across 120 teams this year. Participation from polytechnic students nearly doubled from the previous edition, with 116 polytechnic students taking part alongside their university peers. The teams were diverse and multi-disciplinary, with members pursuing maritime studies, data science, business, supply chain, and engineering.

Mr. Hor Weng Yew, Chairman, Singapore Maritime Foundation, said: “Now into its 7th year, the MaritimeONE Case Summit shows us how much our youths can achieve, with teams rising to the occasion to respond to challenge statements reflecting the industry’s diverse spectrum. 

“The teams have also become more multi-disciplinary, with students from data science, business, supply chain, and engineering joining peers in maritime studies. I thank AET, MSC, Petredec Global and PIL for providing worthwhile challenges to our students to put that breadth of expertise to work, and for mentoring them closely through the process.”

Photo credit: Singapore Maritime Foundation
Published: 26 October, 2026