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SIBCON 2022: Stakeholders discuss the future of Singapore’s bunkering landscape at session finale

MPA, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Equatorial Marine Fuel Management Services, and BP share their thoughts with Singapore Shipping Association in the final session of SIBCON 2022.

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Several stakeholders in Singapore’s bunkering industry provided insights on Singapore’s marine fuels landscape in the near future during a deep dive finale session at the 22nd edition of Singapore International Bunkering Conference, also known as SIBCON 2022, on Thursday (6 October).

Caroline Yang, Chief Executive of Hong Lam Marine and President of Singapore Shipping Association, who was moderating the session What’s Next in Singapore’s Marine Fuels Landscape, asked panellists their prediction on the main fuel types that will fuel ships and the types of carbon abatement measures they will see in 2030.

She also asked the panel about their thoughts if Singapore will remain the top bunkering port in a multi-fuel environment, what they foresee would be the expected fuel mix of 2030, expected investments that Singapore needs to have to maintain its top position, uptake rate of biofuel at the republic, and more.

Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation

Dr. Sanjay Kuttan, Chief Technology Officer, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, who was one of the panellists, said there would be no major shifts in the fuel mix in 2030 if Singapore continues to remain as one of the largest transhipment ports in the world and the current rate of alternative fuels production remains unchanged.

“What you will begin to see is the emergence of LNG as a maritime fuel because there are 700 new LNG ships on order today. But that's still a drop in the ocean of the 80,000 vessels that are on water,” he said.

“We will also the increased use of drop-in biofuels, specifically Gen 2 and possibly even Gen 3 biofuels will emerge by 2030. Even though you will see more biofuels entering the market, VLSFO still will be the dominant base fuel in 2030.”

He shared with the audience the Neste refinery in Singapore produces a significant amount of hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO), a good biofuel that can be mixed with marine gas oil (MGO), which presents an unique opportunity for Singapore to supply a 2nd generation biofuel at scale.

“Singapore could establish vertical algae farms for the production of 3rd Generation biofuels. So, I think if we push our imagination harder and if we want to become a biofuel hub for the shipping industry, we have the elements to actually realise that but only if it becomes a part of our national strategy.”

Dr Kuttan also pointed out that carbon abatement measures like ship board carbon capture systems can be powerful tools – but only if the industry is able to introduce a responsible solution to dispose the captured CO2 effectively.

“Ultimately, no matter how much CO2 you capture, you need to fix it and not release it into the air, so there's still a few more building blocks to be established,” he notes.

“But I think we need to recognise that we need to use every solution in our “bag-of-tricks” to try and “bend-the-curve” as soon as possible because the technology is available, however, we must ensure that the overall lifecycle analysis of any solution needs to have a positive impact on Mother Nature.”

BP

Anthony Tolani, General Manager - Australia and New Zealand, Trading and Shipping - bp Marine, agreed with Dr Kuttan's sentiments on biofuels and added stakeholders are enthusiastic in joining in decarbonisation efforts – though not necessarily led by regulations at this point of time.

“What we've seen is a voluntary adoption of biofuel, particularly where there are no incentives available and I think that will continue to build,” he said.

He added regulators can also play a role as there are still some restrictions at the moment constraining the “free adoption of biofuels”.

“So what we're seeing is an industry pushing for regulations to keep pace. Starting January 2030, we may see the emergence of methanol; however, predominantly it will be a larger uptake of biofuels, and LNG as well as VLSFO,” he said.

He also said it would be possible for biofuel bunker sales in Singapore to reach five million tonnes before 2030.

Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore

Capt. Daknash Ganasen, Senior Director of Operations & Marine Services, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, echoed other panellists of SIBCON 2022 in suggesting there will be no clear winner at the moment in the anticipated fuel mix in the near term,  but there are  opportunities for every type of alternative bunker fuel.Capt Daknash said that shipping companies   could also be looking into new renewable technology on board ships such as wind energy and solar energy to supplement or complement emission reduction in tandem.

He also gave his take if Singapore will remain the top bunkering port in a multi-fuel environment when it comes to marine fuel volume.

“We do, of course, definitely aspire to be the top bunkering port in the world as we move into a transition from fossil fuel to the next alternative fuel and renewable energy,” he said.

He noted MPA has partnered with various initiatives including being a member of the Castor Initiative and SABRE consortium, in itself is a testament that we aspire to be amongst the top bunkering ports in the world moving ahead as well,” he said

Capt Daknash also shared other initiative such as  co-founding the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation to look into the various aspects of the challenges that the industry face moving towards  2030 and 2050, and  initiatives with like-minded ports under the Future Fuel Port Network, which was formed with the Port of Rotterdam Authority and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan where parties collaborate, share information, and work on best practices together.

Equatorial Marine Fuel Management Services

Choong Sheen Mao, Director, Equatorial Marine Fuel Management Services (Equatorial), said there needs to be more strategic collaboration, not just within Singapore but also internationally.

“Equatorial sees Singapore as still being the leading bunkering hub in the world, especially with the focus on a multi-fuel future. Furthermore, the republic is not just a hub for bunkering, but a hub for many other aspects, such as financing, trading and digitalisation,” stated Mr Choong.

“The future is going to be much more complicated, requiring the Port to tackle difficult issues such as operational safety during ammonia bunkering.

“Nonetheless, good foundations have already been built over the years; for example the mandatory use of mass flow metering system paves the way to accurately measure the quantity of bunkers delivered, which may allow other things, such as accurate tracking of potential carbon emissions from the delivered products.

“Singapore has a strong and diverse ecosystem for us to adapt, collaborate and deal with future challenges. There has never been a more exciting time for the bunkering industry.”

He emphasised the company’s commitment to biofuels, adding: “Equatorial has already obtained our ISCC certification. There will be a gradual scaling up process in the adoption of alternate fuels, especially due to high prices.”

“Biofuel, because it is a drop-in fuel, it will be much more straightforward. Regulations will nonetheless have to kick in to incentivise shipowners to use such fuels. Short to medium term subsidies will help with the uptake of biofuel but, at the end of the day, the economics of consuming biofuel have to be sustainable in the long run.”

Mr Choong, meanwhile, noted decarbonisation developments within the shipping industry taking a rapid pace.

“Even within the past 18 months, the vocabulary of discussing about decarbonisation has matured rapidly. It is now quite established that the world will adopt the well-to-wake method in assessing carbon emissions. The industry has become much more refined and accurate in our references,” he explained.

“Before we discussed about the potential of ammonia [as an alternate marine fuel]. Now we speak about consuming green or blue ammonia. The transition to alternate fuels will be very interesting.

“How do we ensure that the price of transitional fuel or green fuel is competitive with conventional fuel? Could one solution be carbon taxes with a floating price mechanism against conventional fuels, with the involvement of price publishing agencies? This may assist us in the transition.

“Nevertheless, going green is going to be a very expensive exercise. Therefore, we need to be very selective in making sure we take the right steps. We cannot afford to take too many wrong steps. It will be too costly, especially to a single organisation.”

Manifold Times is an official media partner of SIBCON 2022; a series of articles related to the event written by the Singapore bunkering publication are as follows:

RelatedSingapore: MPA develops framework to support biofuel bunker fuel deliveries
RelatedSIBCON 2022: SGTraDex enters MOU with six bunkering sector tech providers
RelatedSIBCON 2022: S&P Global Market Intelligence and Bunkerchain in MoU
RelatedSIBCON 2022: Singapore sets out to drive transformation in bunkering
Related: SIBCON 2022: Development of ISO 8217:2024 in progress; but ‘ineffective’ without industry adoption, foresees VPS
RelatedSIBCON 2022 Interview: ExxonMobil to invest more than USD $15bn on GHG reduction initiatives by 2027
RelatedSIBCON 2022 Interview: Eaglestar discusses challenges and possible solutions in embracing ammonia as a bunker fuel
RelatedSIBCON 2022 Interview: Digitalisation in bunkering ops, can lower costs and enable decarbonisation, says StormGeo
RelatedSIBCON 2022 Interview: Co-Convenors offer insights into Singapore’s upcoming Digital Bunker Document Standard
RelatedSIBCON 2022 Interview: MFMs relevant for custody transfer of future liquid-based marine fuels, confirms Endress+Hauser
RelatedSIBCON 2022 Interview: Clyde & Co discusses handling of bunker fuel quality disputes, alt fuels contracts
RelatedSIBCON 2022 Interview: Singapore Bunkering TC Chairman shares republic’s direction on future marine fuel

 

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 14 October, 2022

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Hydrogen

LR MDH joins call to accelerate adoption of zero-emission bunker fuels by 2030

Call to action organised by RMI, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, the UCL Energy Institute, and the United Nations Foundation.

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LR MDH joins call to accelerate adoption of zero emission fuels by 2030

Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub (LR MDH) on Tuesday (12 November) joined more than 50 firms across the spectrum of the shipping value chain — e-fuel producers, vessel and cargo owners, ports, and equipment manufacturers — in signing a Call to Action today at COP 29 to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission marine fuels.

Organised by RMI, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, the UCL Energy Institute, and the United Nations Foundation, the Call to Action demonstrates strong industry momentum to invest in decarbonisation through scalable zero-emission marine fuel pathways.

The joint statement calls for faster and bolder action to increase zero and near-zero emissions fuel uptake, investment in zero-emissions vessels, and global development of green hydrogen infrastructure, leaving no country behind.

James Forsdyke, Managing Director of LR MDH, said: “We are proud to be part of this initiative dedicated to expand the production of green hydrogen as a marine fuel or as an enabler for synthetic zero to near-zero carbon fuels. One of the biggest tasks ahead of us is developing a robust and reliable green hydrogen supply chain to deliver zero carbon fuels to vessels in key maritime hubs in ways that are safe, sustainable and that benefit all shipping stakeholders, particularly seafarers and port communities.

“In line with the Lloyd's Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub's mission to accelerate the safe, sustainable, and human-centric transition of the maritime industry, we have spearheaded initiatives like the Silk Alliance green corridor cluster and Maritime Fuel Supply Dialogues, to aggregate first mover efforts at a regional level and create stronger infrastructure for green hydrogen projects. Being part of this call to action reinforces our commitment to advance the use of hydrogen produced from renewable resources as an important tool in decarbonising shipping.”

In anticipation of this regulatory milestone, the signatories outline several key recommendations to expedite the adoption of hydrogen-derived fuels, namely the need for clear, ambitious mid-term measures; a balanced approach to revenue distribution to help bridge the cost gap between fossil fuels and scalable zero-emission fuels (SZEFs); and evidence that key milestones for practical use of SZEFs are advancing.

To align with a 1.5°C pathway, global green hydrogen production must double by 2030, translating to the uptake of at least 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen in the shipping sector. To accomplish this, coordinated action is needed across the supply chain to expand the supply and adoption of zero or near zero-emission shipping fuels such as e-ammonia and e-methanol, build up the ecosystem synergistically, and deliver on a just and equitable transition.

Close collaboration between green hydrogen producers, shipping actors, and policymakers is vital to securing the enabling conditions and investments that will deliver shipping’s clean energy transition.

“The Green Hydrogen Catapult is proud to support this initiative. Collaboration across the maritime value chain is key to an accelerated, just, and equitable transition of the sector to renewable fuels, and partnerships are key to building and maintaining momentum,” said Oleksiy Tatarenko, the leader of RMI’s hydrogen initiatives and the Green Hydrogen Catapult, a coalition of green hydrogen market leaders promoting the aggressive global adoption of green hydrogen.

Ports and port service companies, alongside financiers, have also added their support to the Call to Action, committing to investing in hydrogen-derived fuel infrastructure and safety projects to support bunkering of e-fuels.

 

Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub
Published: 13 November 2024

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Alternative Fuels

IMO advances training for seafarers on LNG-fuelled ships

Subregional ‘train-the-trainer’ workshop focused on seafarers onboard LNG-fuelled ships subject to the IGF Code.

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The International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Monday (11 November) said seafarer trainers from Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam were put through their paces for liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuelled ships with advanced simulator and practical training at a workshop in Ashiya and Yokosuka, Japan.

The subregional "train-the-trainer" workshop (30 October to 6 November) focused on seafarers onboard LNG-fuelled ships subject to the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code).

The workshop is part of IMO efforts to ensure seafarers are well-equipped to operate LNG-fuelled ships safely and effectively. The workshop included three major components: classroom lectures; LNG bunkering simulator trainings at the Marine Technical College in Ashiya, Japan, and advanced emergency responses exercises at the Maritime Disaster Prevention Centre (MDPC) in Yokosuka, Japan.

The participants gained hands-on experience with LNG bunkering simulators. They learned how to use Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), gas detector, emergency measures for LNG leakage, low-temperature brittleness, as well as fire control, extinguishing agents and firefighting procedures and in particular, LNG (stored and supplied in -162 °C) had been utilised during the exercises.

The nine trainers gained knowledge and experience, and were ready to take the skills back to their own training institutions, to enhance their programmes and strengthen training capacity for seafarers on LNG and other alternative-fuelled vessels.

The workshop was based on the requirements under the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Convention and Code, taking into account model courses 7.13 and 714 on the Basic and Advanced training for masters, officers, ratings and other personnel on ships subject to the IGF Code.

In accordance with regulation V/3 of the STCW Convention, every candidate for a certificate in advanced training for service on ships subject to the IGF Code shall have completed at least one month of approved seagoing service that includes a minimum of three bunkering operations on board ships subject to the IGF Code. Two of the three bunkering operations may be replaced by approved simulator training on bunkering operations.

The workshop was co-organized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure Transport and Tourism of Japan and the IMO Secretariat, under IMO's Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP), with sponsorship from the Nippon Foundation and support from the Japan Ship Technology Research Association and the Japan Agency of Maritime Education and Training for Seafarers.

The IMO Secretariat is collaborating closely with Member States and international organizations to advance training of seafarers operating LNG-fuelled and other alternative-fuelled ships, supporting the maritime industry's need for skilled and qualified personnel.

 

Photo credit: International Maritime Organization
Published: 13 November 2024

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Alternative Fuels

Singapore: A*STAR advances safety in handling of future marine fuels

Funds project to develop tool to predict the dispersion of ammonia and methanol in the event of accidental leakages during bunkering operations.

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Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) on Thursday (7 November) awarded funding to a bunkering project at the 14th edition of the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) Forum.

The project, titled Dispersion Analysis and Simulations for Handling (DASH) of Future Fuels, is led and hosted by A*STAR Institute of High Performance Computing (A*STAR IHPC).

This joint initiative includes other A*STAR research institutes and public research partners such as CNRS@CREATE, the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS), and the Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI) at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

The project focuses on developing a multi-fidelity planning tool to predict the dispersion of ammonia and methanol in the event of accidental leakages during bunkering operations.

Essentially, the tool will integrate dispersion analysis, consequence simulations, and real-time environmental data to create a safety and risk management system that provides insights into the behaviour of these next-generation fuels.

The developed tool will be used to develop effective preventive measures, emergency response strategies, and mitigation plans for such scenarios.

“A*STAR IHPC is dedicated to developing next-generation tools to improve the design and safety of multi-fuel bunkering operations,” said Dr Su Yi, Executive Director of A*STAR IHPC.

“Through close collaboration with our partners, we aim to equip industry stakeholders with advanced simulation tools that assess potential leak scenarios and enhance safety planning, operations, and emergency response.

“This enables more informed, strategic decision-making that supports the maritime sector’s journey toward safer, more sustainable fuel solutions,”

Dr Chen Xinwei, Deputy Executive Director of SMI added, “Decarbonisation and sustainability are critical challenges facing the maritime industry.”

“SMI is pleased to support the DASH project with funding, highlighting our commitment to advancing the safe handling of alternative fuels – an essential step in achieving the sector’s decarbonisation objectives.”

 

Photo credit: Singapore Maritime Institute
Published: 11 November 2024

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