ONE: Critical skill shifts expected for future-ready bunker procurement teams

Bunker procurement teams will have to undergo critical skill shifts to be future-ready, believes the General Manager, Global Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Ocean Network Express (ONE).

Richard Ho shared his thoughts during the Bunker Buyers Panel at IBIA Annual Convention 2025 in Hong Kong on Tuesday (18 November) when he stressed upon the new skill sets, extensive training, and advanced digitalisation required for transformation.

Ho noted ONE is addressing this challenge through a two-tiered training strategy where newcomers are being educated on the fundamentals of marine fuel, while existing bunker procurement teams are undergoing advanced training in carbon roadmaps, collaboration, and sustainability.

This involves leveraging on external partners for laboratory visits to understand fuel quality and for data analytics expertise regarding mass flowmeter operations.

He also said current bunker buyers must retrain to become trainers for new marine fuel purchasing staff, while also advancing their own skills to the next level.

“ONE’s strategy reflects a proactive approach to the shipping industry’s energy transition, emphasising human capital development and technological innovation to meet future challenges,” he shared.

“A significant focus for ONE is digitalisation, where this includes a three-year roadmap for digital transformation within the bunker fuel procurement team.

“This includes developing an in-house AI system for optimising fuel procurement decisions across various fuel types—methanol, LNG, or biofuels.

“The AI system is envisioned to integrate with ship management and bunker fuel optimisation, considering carbon intensity requirements from regulations from the EU and IMO.”

Moving forward, Ho underscored the critical importance of agility, stating procurement teams must move faster than the evolving environment, including suppliers, manufacturers, and regulators.

“Collaboration is paramount, as no single company can achieve decarbonisation alone,” he explained.

“This necessitates working closely with producers, regulators, and across the supply chain to understand long-term plans for fuel availability at various ports.

“There is also the need for teams to be curious, continuously learning and un-learning old practices to adapt to new legal frameworks and diverse fuel products.”

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 27 November 2025