Bunker Fuel

Singapore achieves milestone with record year for bunker sales in 2023

A total of 51.82 million tonnes of bunker sales was registered in 2023, surpassing the previous record of 50.64 million tonnes in 2017, says Mr Chee Hong Tat, Acting Minister for Transport.

Published

1 year ago

January 15, 2024

Admin

Singapore achieves milestone with record year for bunker sales in 2023

A total of 51.82 million metric tonnes (mt) of bunker sales was registered in 2023, surpassing the previous record of 50.64 million mt in 2017 – reflecting Singapore’s support to the global shipping community as a bunkering hub, according to Mr Chee Hong Tat, Acting Minister for Transport, on Friday (12 January).

Of this, 1.2% is alternative fuels and this is expected to continue with good growth prospects in the coming year

Chee was announcing a record year in 2023 for Maritime Singapore at Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) New Year Conversations event.

He said Singapore has made good progress in the supply of alternative fuels and the electrification of harbour craft to support maritime decarbonisation and transformation.

“Bunker sales of biofuel blends increased to 520,000 tonnes, which more than tripled from 140,000 mt in 2022. Biofuel blends of up to B30 are commercially available, while trials of up to B100 are on-going. Liquefied natural gas bunker sales amounted to 110,000 mt in 2023, up from 16,000 mt in 2022,” Chee said in a statement.

In July 2023, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) successfully conducted the world’s first ship-to-containership methanol bunkering operation, where about 300 mt of green methanol was supplied for the first time in the Port of Singapore. New fully electric 200-pax passenger ferries and supply vessels were deployed in 2023, operating within port waters to support our maritime ecosystem.

The annual vessel arrival tonnage in the Port of Singapore crossed three billion Gross Tonnage (GT) for the first time, increasing by 9.4% over 2022 and setting a high of 3.09 billion GT in 20231.

This reflects growth in all segments of our port ecosystem, including container ships, dry bulk carriers, liquid bulk and chemical tankers, ferries and specialised vessels, amidst a global trade slowdown.

“The strong 2023 performance is largely attributed to the recovery in regional trade and the robust tripartite co-operation among the unions, industry and government to consistently enhance the efficiency, reliability and safety in the Port of Singapore,” Chee added.

Singapore Grows as an International Maritime Centre

As a leading International Maritime Centre, Singapore is home to more than 180 international shipping groups as well as other maritime players in finance, insurance, cybersecurity, shipbroking, law and arbitration.

Last year, total business spending by key maritime companies overseen by MPA exceeded SGD 4.8 billion, up from SGD 4.3 billion in 2022. 25 maritime companies established or expanded their operations in Singapore last year. These include maritime services companies and companies setting up sustainability desks in Singapore as part of their decarbonisation strategy and growth plans.

MPA is working with industry, researchers and the investment community to grow the Marine Technology (MarineTech) ecosystem. The number of start-ups under Port Innovation Ecosystem Reimagined @BLOCK71 (PIER71TM) has grown from 17 in 2018 when PIER71TM was launched, to 116 today – up from 99 in 2022. These start- ups have raised over SGD 68 million in investment since 2018. MPA will continue to work with its partners to reach the goal of 150 MarineTech start-ups in Singapore by 2025.

Singapore retained its lead as the world’s top maritime centre in the Xinhua- Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index for the 10th consecutive year in 2023. The Port of Singapore was also named best global seaport for the third straight year and best Asian seaport for the 35th time at the Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain Awards.

Key Initiatives for a Future-ready Maritime Singapore

Accelerating Maritime Decarbonisation on Multiple Fronts

To date, Singapore has established four Green and Digital Shipping Corridors (GDSC) serving as valuable platforms for the piloting and trial of alternative fuels as well as digital solutions to support the transformation of the maritime sector

In April 2023, MPA established the GDSC with the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach. In December 2023, two MoUs were signed to establish the Tianjin-Singapore GDSC and Japan-Singapore GDSC covering six Japanese ports.

To position Singapore as the maritime green finance hub to support the energy transition, MPA launched an Expression of Interest (EOI) in October last year, inviting financial institutions and intermediaries, as well as marine insurance providers and brokers, to submit proposals to accelerate the adoption of electric harbour craft in Singapore. The evaluation of the proposals is on-going.

New standards supporting vessel electrification, cybersecurity, and the use of new bunker fuels such as methanol and ammonia are under development. In 2022, MPA and the Energy Market Authority jointly issued an EOI for ammonia power generation and bunkering which attracted 26 proposals. The second selection phase is on-going.

Driving Digitalisation with Industry and Research Institutes

To boost the efficiency and transparency of bunkering delivery documentation and workflow in the Port of Singapore, MPA implemented the Digital Bunkering initiative in November 2023.

To date, four solution providers have been approved by MPA, and three bunker suppliers and barge operators have commenced digital bunkering operations. More companies are expected to be on-boarded in the coming year. MPA will continue its efforts to gather feedback and drive early adoption.

When fully implemented, digital bunkering is expected to save up to 40,000 man-hours annually.

Maritime drone services present significant opportunities for Maritime Singapore to improve the operational efficiency of port services and reduce carbon footprint. In 2023, MPA worked with multiple drone operators to deploy drones to enhance the situational awareness and incident management response capabilities in support of the methanol bunkering operation and annual Ferry Rescue Exercise (FEREX) in July and October 2023, respectively. MPA is also studying the development of a Fleet Traffic Management System to track maritime drone activities in our port waters and ensure the safety of our port users.

To deepen local R&D capabilities in smart ship development and green technologies, MPA and the Singapore Maritime Institute awarded a total of SGD 19.3 million in funding to universities and research institutes in 2023 for maritime R&D.

Maritime companies are also growing their technology presence in Singapore and moving into emerging areas and services. In 2023, the American Bureau of Shipping launched its Global Electrification Centre in Singapore to support marine electrification projects across the Asia-Pacific and around the world. thyssenkrupp and Wilhelmsen also set up their joint venture, Pelagus 3D, to provide digital manufacturing services to the maritime industry.

MPA is closely monitoring the current geopolitical situation around the world and its impact on key shipping routes and global supply chains. Should the supply chain disruptions be protracted, and ships’ schedules increasingly impacted, the Port of Singapore stands ready to assist ships to “catch up” on their schedules and to support shippers in their cargo connections.

MPA has also issued advisories to shipowners, managers, operators and masters of Singapore-flagged ships to review their ships’ security plans and implement necessary risk mitigating measures when trading in high-risk areas.

Note: The full Singapore maritime performance review of 2023 can be found here.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 15 January, 2024

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LNG Bunkering

Osaka Gas launches shore-to-ship LNG bunkering service at its terminal

Company says it is the first gas utility company in Japan to offer LNG bunker fuel at its terminal to vessels and is also exploring the potential of replacing LNG with e-methane as a marine fuel.

Published

21 hours ago

April 23, 2025

Admin

Osaka Gas launches shore-to-ship LNG bunkering service at its terminal

Osaka Gas on Monday (21 April) said it has launched its shore-to-ship LNG bunkering service, becoming the first gas utility company in Japan to offer liquefied natural gas (LNG) at its terminal to vessels.

The first delivery took place today at Osaka Gas’ Senboku LNG Terminal in Takaishi City, Osaka Prefecture, where LNG was supplied to Verde Heraldo, a bulker operated by Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL).

Manifold Times previously reported that the bulker will sail under long-term transport contracts to supply raw materials for JFE Steel Corporation's mills.

With the launch of the shore-to-ship service, in addition to its existing truck-to-ship LNG bunkering service—operational since 2019—Osaka Gas enhances its LNG fuel delivery capabilities to address the current scarcity of facilities in Japan that can supply LNG to vessels.

The company’s future plans include the introduction of a ship-to-ship LNG bunkering service utilising a dedicated LNG bunkering vessel, scheduled to commence in fiscal 2026.

These supply methods aim to provide a stable and flexible LNG fuel supply to an increasing number of LNG-fuelled vessels as the maritime industry transitions away from heavy fuel oil.

This growth in LNG-fuelled vessels is driven by global decarbonisation trends and the International Maritime Organization’s target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Through its LNG bunkering services, Osaka Gas is well-positioned to contribute to maritime industry sustainability.

Osaka Gas launches shore-to-ship LNG bunkering service at its terminal

In addition to expanding LNG fuel supply to vessels, Osaka Gas is exploring the potential of replacing LNG with e-methane as a marine fuel.

Photo credit: Osaka Gas
Published: 23 April, 2025

Alternative Fuels

Japan: J-ENG begins co-firing of first full-scale marine engine with ammonia

Company says the first Japanese-developed and manufactured commercial full-scale, low-speed, ammonia-fuelled two-stroke engine has started co-firing operation with ammonia.

Published

22 hours ago

April 23, 2025

Admin

Japan: J-ENG begins co-firing of first full-scale marine engine with ammonia

Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) on Monday (21 April) said the first Japanese-developed and manufactured commercial full-scale, low-speed, ammonia-fuelled two-stroke engine has started co-firing operation with ammonia, which will be installed in a vessel.

J-ENG is developing the engine under the “Green Innovation Fund Project: Next-generation Ship Development” of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

Since May 2023, when J-ENG started the world's first ammonia co-firing operation of a large, low-speed, two-stroke engine in a test engine, J-ENG has obtained many results and knowledge, including stable operation at high ammonia co-firing rates and safe handling of ammonia, through various test operations over a period of about a year and a half.

J-ENG will conduct verification operations on the full-scale engine and plans to ship the engine in October of this year. The engine will be installed on an Ammonia-fuelled Medium Gas Carrier (AFMGC) and then demonstration operations of the vessel will be carried out then.

In order to accommodate a wide variety of ammonia-fueled vessels, J-ENG is also concurrently developing an ammonia-fueled engine with a cylinder bore of 60cm, following the first engine with a 50cm cylinder bore mentioned above, for several promising follow-on projects.

Furthermore, after achieving the development and social implementation of these engines, the company has decided to construct a new plant with the support of a subsidy project by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism through the GX Economic Transition Bonds.

The new plant, which is scheduled for completion in 2028, will expand the production of ammonia fuel engines (in the product mix with fuel oil engines) and promote the spread and expansion of zero-emission ships.

“J-ENG, as a first mover of next-generation fuel engines, will contribute to the development of the Japanese shipping and shipbuilding industries through the early launch and expansion of these engines, and at the same time, contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) in international shipping and the achievement of carbon neutrality by 2050,” the company said on its website.

Photo credit: Japan Engine Corporation
Published: 23 April, 2025

Methanol

Tsuneishi Shipbuilding completes first block loading of methanol-fuelled newbuildings

Company completed the first block loading of its first 5,900TEU methanol-fuelled containership and its first methanol dual-fuelled Kamsarmax bulk carrier in China and Philippines respectively.

Published

22 hours ago

April 23, 2025

Admin

Tsuneishi Shipbuilding completes first block loading of methanol-fuelled newbuildings

Tsuneishi Shipbuilding on Tuesday (22 April) said its shipyard in China successfully completed the first block loading for its first 5,900TEU methanol-fuelled containership, which is the largest of this ship type built by the company, on 16 April.

In addition to the enhanced hull form and MT-FAST, the company’s innovative energy-saving technology, the integration of a large-capacity shaft generator has enabled this dual-fuel vessel to achieve both optimal loading performance and exceptional fuel economy when compared with fuel oil vessels in the same segment.

MT-FAST is an energy-saving device that improves propulsion efficiency by approximately 4% by regulating water flow through the installation of multiple fins in front of the propeller. It was developed jointly with MTI of the NYK Group.

The vessel has been developed based on the concept of a final solution for the zero CO₂ emission vessel through the use of green methanol. Therefore, not only the main engine but also all on-board generators, HiMSEN engine which will be supplied by HD Hyundai, can be methanol-fuelled.

This makes it possible to achieve carbon neutrality with the exception of a small amount of pilot fuel. Furthermore, the vessel is equipped with the necessary infrastructure to receive large-capacity alternative maritime power supplies.

“In addition, the generators can be deactivated during anchorage, thereby achieving zero CO₂ emissions. We will continue to promote the further practical application of methanol-fuelled vessels with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality in the future,” the company said.

Tsuneishi Shipbuilding completes first block loading of methanol-fuelled newbuildings

Additionally, the Japan-based shipbuilder said its yard in the Philippines has successfully completed the first block loading for its first methanol dual-fuelled Kamsarmax bulk carrier on 21 April at THI Slipway No.2 .

The vessel is scheduled to be launched in July 2025 and delivered in January 2026.

It is the first methanol-fuelled vessel in the Kamsarmax series, a long-standing series of vessels built by Tsuneishi Shipbuilding, which reached the 400-vessel milestone in July 2024.

By using methanol for propulsion, Tsuneishi Shipbuilding said the vessel reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 10%, nitrogen oxide emissions by 80% and sulphur oxide emissions by 99% during voyages compared to conventional models.

Photo credit: Tsuneishi Shipbuilding
Published: 23 April, 2025