Alternative Fuels

SIBCON 2024: SGMF releases methanol and ammonia bunkering guidelines

SFMF published Bunkering Guidelines for Ammonia and Bunkering Guidelines for Methanol, as well as Emergency Response Guide for Ammonia; also revealed new brand to reflect four key future marine fuels.

Published

7 months ago

October 10, 2024

Admin

SIBCON 2024: SGMF releases methanol and ammonia bunkering guidelines

SGMF on Wednesday (9 October) announced the release of the Bunkering Guidelines for Ammonia and Bunkering Guidelines for Methanol, as well as the Emergency Response Guide for Ammonia.

During the 23rd Singapore International Bunkering Conference (SIBCON), SGMF also revealed its new brand reflecting the organisation’s current activities in the four key marine fuels for the future: LNG, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen.

SGMF is a membership-based organisation leading safe maritime decarbonisation with members across the full value chain of marine fuels, including suppliers, operators, owners, equipment manufacturers, class societies, port authorities, individuals and training organisations.

While the search for the perfect alternative fuel continues, SGMF said methanol and ammonia are two of the fuels that the global merchant fleet has identified and is looking to implement, emphasising the importance of these guidelines.

Methanol – With the first vessels already running on methanol, and many more on order, methanol is ahead of the curve in terms of adoption. It has also overtaken regulation, meaning that these early adopters are having to put forward safety solutions that have not yet been documented, and bunker suppliers using existing chemical carriers are trying to second guess what conversion and equipment may be needed to make their vessels physically compatible with the ships being produced. These methanol bunkering guidelines have been published as a first draft to highlight the key safety factors that need to be considered when designing and bunkering a vessel of any type with methanol.

Ammonia – Despite ammonia (NH3) not yet being commercially available as a marine fuel, this bunkering document provides guidance to all the stakeholders currently investigating and developing the bunkering of ships with fully refrigerated (-33°C) ammonia.

A range of potential hazards are expected with bunkering ammonia and to date there is very limited experience, with only one series of bunkering trials conducted as at March 2024.

As a result, Bunkering Guidelines for Ammonia draws primarily on the current experience of LNG bunkering, the wider ammonia marine transport industry and the shoreside ammonia production and transport industry experience.

“The overall aim of these guidelines is therefore to ensure that ammonia-fuelled ships are bunkered safely, reliably, efficiently and in an environmentally responsible way, targeting the avoidance of operational or fugitive emissions of ammonia,” SGMF added.

These publications have been compiled with extensive input from the SGMF membership, as well as with collaborative support from the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS).

Note: The bunkering guidelines are available in the shop on SGMF portal and the Emergency Response Guide for Ammonia can be downloaded through its free resources section.

Photo credit: SGMF
Published: 10 October, 2024

Up Next

SIBCON 2024: EnterpriseSG to launch new Singapore standard for e-BDN

Don't Miss

SIBCON 2024: TFG Marine to launch ZeroNorth e-BDNs in Singapore

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.

Published

21 hours ago

May 16, 2025

Admin

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

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.

Published

21 hours ago

May 16, 2025

Admin

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.”

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

Alternative Fuels

St1 delivers first locally produced biomethane to Swedish maritime sector for bunkering

St1 and its venture St1 Biokraft delivered their own Swedish-produced liquefied biomethane to Terntank’s vessel “Tern Ocean” in a bunkering operation at Port of Gothenburg.

Published

22 hours ago

May 16, 2025

Admin

St1 delivers first locally produced biomethane to Swedish maritime sector for bunkering

Finnish energy company St1 and its venture St1 Biokraft delivered their own Swedish-produced liquefied biomethane, also known as bio-LNG, to the local maritime sector for the first time, according to Port of Gothenburg on Thursday (15 May).

Terntank’s vessel Tern Ocean was bunkered with the biomethane at the Port of Gothenburg.

St1 and St1 Biokraft are now aiming to become large-scale suppliers of biomethane for shipping, while the Port of Gothenburg continues to pursue its goal of becoming Scandinavia’s primary bunkering hub for alternative fuels.

The bunkering operation recently carried out at quay 519 in the Port of Gothenburg was an important pilot test for St1 and St1 Biokraft as suppliers of biomethane to the maritime sector. The operation also served as a pressure test of the collaboration required across all parts of the value chain, with Terntank, gas infrastructure owner Nordion Energi, and the producers themselves all playing crucial roles.

“In order to accelerate the maritime sector’s transition, it is essential that all actors across the value chain pull in the same direction, cooperate, and translate ambitions into practice. We are pleased to have all of this in place at the Port of Gothenburg,” said Therese Jällbrink, Head of Renewable Energy at the Port of Gothenburg.

“Liquefied biomethane is an important part of the fuel palette that must be available to support the shipping industry’s transition. It is one of the fuels the Port of Gothenburg is working with within the framework of green shipping corridors, aimed at creating the conditions for fossil-free logistics chains. This bunkering operation brings us another step closer to our ambition of becoming Scandinavia’s primary bunkering hub for alternative fuels.”

St1 and St1 Biokraft have ambitions to become large-scale suppliers of liquefied biomethane for the maritime sector, with several new production facilities planned across Sweden.

In 2026, energy infrastructure company Nordion Energi will build a liquefaction facility for biomethane at the Port of Gothenburg, which will be connected to the West Sweden gas grid. With the facility in place, a new opportunity will be created for biomethane producers connected to the gas network to reach the maritime market.

“Once the liquefaction plant is completed, we will have a solid solution in place at the Port of Gothenburg. This is a strategic step towards our goal of scaling up and offering competitive liquefied biomethane to the shipping sector, thereby taking a leading position in this segment,” said Ted Gustavsson, Head of Value Chain at St1 Biokraft.

Photo credit: Port of Gothenburg
Published: 16 May, 2025