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MPA blueprint prepares marine fuels sector for multi-fuel bunkering transition

Manifold Times provides a summary of the ‘Future Marine Fuels, Bunkering Standards and Infrastructure’ section of the 64-page document.

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Future marine fuels adoption framework

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Wednesday (9 March) introduced the Maritime Singapore Decarbonisation Blueprint: Working Towards 2050 document.

Bunkering publication Manifold Times provides a curated summary of the ‘Future Marine Fuels, Bunkering Standards and Infrastructure’ section, which specifies MPA’s plans for getting Singapore’s marine refuelling sector ready for a multi-fuel bunkering transition.

Future Maritime Energy Mix

Based on current industry pilots and feasibility studies, MPA believes biofuels and liquified natural gas (LNG) will be the likely interim or transitional fuels used in the near term.

Biofuels, which scored well from the perspective of readiness of supply, infrastructure and maturity of technology, and electrification have been identified as the most viable energy options for harbour craft operating within Singapore.

While not favouring any particular fuel type, MPA expects hydrogen and its carriers (including ammonia, e-methanol) as well as bio-LNG to potentially play important roles in the decarbonisation of international shipping in the mid to long term.

Overview of present assessment of low zero carbon fuels

Moving forward, MPA will focus on seven anchors to facilitate the transition towards low and zero-carbon bunker fuels, namely: (i) technology trials and R&D, (ii) supply, (iii) regulations and standards development, (iv) demand, (v) financing, (vi) talent and skill development, and (vii) international collaboration and partnerships.

Technology Trials and R&D

MPA is actively collaborating with industry partners to conduct feasibility studies and pilot trials. Ongoing collaborations include:

ongoing collaborations across various fuel types

Supply – Bunkering, Storage and Distribution

MPA envisages some existing infrastructure to be retrofitted, whilst investments into new infrastructure will allow the scaling up of fuel supply in line with shipping’s future demand for various low and zero-carbon fuels.

To support first movers, MPA is prepared to explore co-funding supply assets for low and zero-carbon fuel solutions by developing an ammonia bunkering ecosystem in Singapore through a pilot programme.

It will comprise of pilot trials, testing bunkering procedures, development of bunkering infrastructure, and honing of operational experiences and capabilities in ammonia bunkering.

Regulations and Standards Development

MPA is working to develop bunkering guidelines for future fuels in ports, such as through the Future Fuels Port Network, to enable the safe transport and bunkering of low and zero-emission fuels.

For ammonia, the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD), setup by MPA and six founding partners in July 2021 has selected classification society DNV to lead a study to define a robust set of safety guidelines and operational envelopes that will establish the basis of a regulatory sandbox for ammonia bunkering trials at two local Singapore sites.

GCMD will also set up an Industry Consultation and Alignment Panel to solicit inputs in response to the findings and recommendations from the study.

In the longer term, MPA also plans to work with stakeholders to develop a set of Technical Reference guidelines on the safe bunkering of ammonia and will partner international partners to achieve harmonised global standards.

Demand – Market Structure and Policy

Given the potential future adoption of hydrogen and its carriers in the maritime industry, MPA is working with various government agencies to assess the land-take, infrastructure and resource needs to build the ecosystem needed to trial the import, storage, distribution, and transportation of hydrogen.

MPA will also partner the agencies to study the demand projections, regulatory incentives, and safety standards for future fuels across different sectors in Singapore.

Financing

MPA is working with MAS and industry partners to develop Singapore as a green maritime financing hub and expand the suite of green financing options.

This will increase accessibility to sustainability-linked financing for the development of low and zero-carbon fuel solutions.

MPA aims to establish Singapore as a green maritime finance hub

Talent and Skill Development

Singapore’s efforts in maritime decarbonisation are projected to create and upskill a total of 1,200 sustainability-related jobs over the next ten years. This figure is expected to increase over time, as more green innovative technologies mature and the industry transits to meet IMO targets in 2030 and 2050.

MPA will work with industry partners to identify and map out emerging job roles and skills needs, and support enterprises to equip Singapore’s maritime workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge to support the development of a low and zero-carbon bunkering hub in Singapore.

MPA will also be providing co-funding support to employers and employees to ensure Singapore’s maritime workforce has the necessary relevant skills and knowledge in the domain of maritime decarbonisation.

International Partnerships

Together with the Port of Rotterdam and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan, MPA signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in October 2020 to form the Future Fuels Port Network.

The FFPN has developed a roadmap to explore the harmonisation of standards for the future marine fuels and pool the knowledge and network of various members to spur the development of future fuels, including the coordination of possible joint bunkering pilot runs with identified shipping lines between ports.

In June 2021, Singapore and Australia announced the formation of a “Low-Emissions Maritime and Shipping Initiative”. As part of the initiative, Australia and Singapore have each committed $10 million to support demonstrations and commercial scale projects, through delivery partners for low emission fuels and technologies for international maritime and port operations.

Related: Singapore: MPA maritime decarbonisation blueprint sets target for bunkering sector
Related: MPA and partners establish Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Related: DNV selected to lead ‘pioneering’ ammonia bunkering safety study in Singapore
Related: SIBCON 2020: Singapore enters memorandum of cooperation on future fuels port network

 

Photo credit and source: Maritime Singapore Decarbonisation Blueprint: Working Towards 2050
Published: 11 March, 2022

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Biofuel

Chimbusco and SPG complete first biofuel bunkering operation in Northern China

Chimbusco’s “DA YUAN YOU 8” tanker refuelled the “HMM VANCOUVER” with 1,300 metric tonnes of B24 biofuel at Qingdao Port.

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Chimbusco and SPG achieves first biofuel bunkering operation in Northern China

China Marine Bunker (PetroChina) Co Ltd (Chimbusco) and Shandong Port Group (SPG) recently said they successfully completed the first B24 biofuel bunkering operation in Northern China on 14 June.

Chimbusco’s “DA YUAN YOU 8 ” tanker refuelled the “HMM VANCOUVER” with 1,300 metric tonnes (mt) of B24 biofuel at Qingdao Port.

Chimbusco said the successful bunkering operation not only marks a milestone in the bonded biofuel bunkering business for international voyage vessels in northern China but also represents a critical milestone in the green and low-carbon transformation of the shipping industry around the Bohai Sea and throughout northern China. 

B24 biofuel is a blend of 24% waste cooking oil and 76% high-sulphur fuel oil. Authoritatively certified, the company said this fuel can significantly reduce carbon emissions from vessel operations by up to 20%, providing shipowners with an efficient and convenient low-carbon solution to comply with increasingly stringent International Maritime Organization (IMO) emission reduction regulations. 

Since the beginning of this year, Chimbusco said it has achieved top records of bunkering volumes in the green fuel sector. From the first successful operation at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in eastern China to subsequent bunkering operations in Shenzhen, Xiamen, and other major ports across the country, the company has further consolidated its regular supply capabilities. 

During this in-depth cooperation with SPG’s Qingdao Port, Chimbusco’s “Green Energy Label” made its debut at the operation site. 

“This further confirms that Chimbusco is deploying green fuel bunkering services to help Chinese ports accelerate the construction of a maritime green energy supply network,” the company said. 

 

Photo credit: Shandong Port Group
Published: 20 June, 2025

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Ammonia

Korea to develop global standards for discharge of toxic effluent from ammonia-fuelled ships

KR and major Korean shipyards such as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Samho and Samsung Heavy Industries will be part of the group.

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Korea to develop global standards for discharge of toxic effluent from ammonia-fuelled ships

Classification society Korean Register (KR) said it has launched a joint working group to establish international standards for the safe discharge of toxic ammonia effluent generated from ammonia-fuelled ships.

Major Korean shipyards such as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Samho, Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, and the Korea Testing & Research Institute (KTR) will be part of the group. 

KR said ammonia is attracting attention as an eco-friendly alternative fuel that does not emit carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, but due to its strong toxicity and concerns about marine pollution, it is essential to establish separate safety standards. 

In particular, ammonia effluent generated from wet treatment systems currently has no clear treatment standards, which causes considerable technical and operational uncertainty in ship design and operation.

Accordingly, the group aims to establish international standards related to the storage, treatment, and discharge of ammonia wastewater generated from ships and to officially propose this to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) through the Korean government.

The launch of this consultative body is a follow-up measure to a proposal by KR and the Korean government to the IMO in 2024 for the need to establish safety standards for ammonia effluent, which was officially approved at the 83rd IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in April 2025. The group plans to propose a draft standard to the IMO in 2026 and lead international discussions.

Kim Tae-seong, Head of the KTR headquarters, said: “We will provide reliable scientific data to establish ammonia wastewater management guidelines and treatment standards. We will actively cooperate to secure the international competitiveness of the domestic shipbuilding and shipping industries.”
Kim Kyung-bok, Vice President of KR, said: “This consultative body is a symbolic case of our shipbuilding and shipping industries joining forces to lead the establishment of international safety standards based on our country’s advanced technologies.”

“KR will continue to support the development of alternative fuel safety standards and international standardisation efforts together with our government.”

 

Photo credit: Korean Register
Published: 20 June, 2025

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Alternative Fuels

Fratelli Cosulich and IINO Lines to collaborate on alternative bunker fuels

Fratelli Cosulich Marine Energy and IINO Lines signed a MoU, setting a foundation for further collaboration in the areas of methanol, LNG, and ammonia bunkering.

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RESIZED scott graham

Fratelli Cosulich Marine Energy and IINO Lines on Thursday (19 June) announced a strategic cooperation that reinforces their shared commitment to the decarbonisation of the maritime industry.

The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore new business opportunities in the alternative marine fuels sector. 

“This agreement marks a significant step in the long-standing relationship between the two companies and sets the foundation for further collaboration in the areas of methanol, LNG, and ammonia bunkering,” Fratelli Cosulich said. 

Through the MoU, the parties will engage in joint initiatives, exchange market insights, and facilitate connections with potential suppliers and stakeholders in the alternative fuels space. 

“We are proud to announce the partnership with Fratelli Cosulich for initiatives in alternative marine fuels. Both companies have extensive history in the shipping industry,” said Yusuke Otani, President of IINO Lines. 

“The joint development will enable a holistic approach for building a supply chain of alternative marine fuels.”

“As we navigate the energy transition, partnerships like the one we announce today with IINO Lines are essential in shaping the future of sustainable shipping,” said Timothy Cosulich, CEO of Fratelli Cosulich Group. 

“By combining our expertise and resources, we aim to drive the adoption of cleaner marine fuels and contribute to the decarbonization of global shipping.”

 

Photo credit: Scott Graham
Published: 20 June, 2025

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