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Singapore: Alpha Biofuels uses waste cooking oil for bunkering marine vessels

Alpha Biofuels starts bunkering onboard vessel “Martin Tiga” by converting Used Cooking Oil into biodiesel fuel (BDF).

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Singapore-based Alpha Biofuels on Friday (9 July) said it has provided bunker fuel to an ocean-going bulk carrier vessels for the first time, using biodiesel made from Used Cooking Oil (UCO) collected locally from food manufacturers, F&B businesses and households.

The global mining conglomerate Anglo American has successfully trialled the use of sustainable biofuel to power a chartered bulk carrier ship during a voyage from Singapore to South Africa.

The trial was conducted onboard the Frontier Jacaranda, a “capesize” bulk carrier – too large to transit the Suez Canal or Panama Canal – owned by Japanese shipping company NYK Line. It was instrumental in verifying the stability of the biofuel in storage and its performance as a fuel.

Data gathered is providing new insights into wider efforts to introduce biofuel to the maritime sector, paving the way to improving its cost-effectiveness and using higher percentage blends in future trials.

The conversion of waste cooking oil by Alpha Biofuels into biodiesel for transportation, aligns with the principles of the circular economy, by providing a fresh and environmentally beneficial use for what would otherwise be disposed of.

The establishment of the procurement and regular use of biofuel, which are expected to reduce Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) emissions at the Port of Singapore, the world’s largest marine fuel market, will help to shift towards a carbon-free society.

The maritime transport industry, which accounts for at least 2% of the world’s GHG emissions, is facing up to the issue of reducing emissions, as the volume of maritime transportation is expected to continue increasing against the backdrop of growth of the global economy.

In 2018, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a strategy for reducing emissions from ships, setting a target of 50% emissions reduction, compared to the 2008 level by 2050.

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Singaporeans Allan Lim, CEO and co-Founder, on left, and Jack Ling, COO and co-Founder) – pictured on the wharf during the fuelling of the bunkering vessel Marlin Tiga on 9 June – believe Alpha Biofuels can scale up considerably at their plant in Tuas Singapore where they currently turn Used Cooking Oil (UCO) into Biodiesel Fuel (BDF). 

 

Photo credit: Alpha Biofuels
Published: 12 July, 2021 

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Winding up

Singapore: Liquidator of Da Xin Tankers, Nan Chiau Maritime issues notices of dividend

Da Xin Tankers’s second interim dividend and Nan Chiau Maritime’s third interim dividend are payable from 17 September, according to Government Gazette notices.

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Notices of dividend for Da Xin Tankers Pte Ltd and Nan Chiau Maritime Pte Ltd, which are currently in creditors’ voluntary liquidation, were published on the Government Gazette on Thursday (17 September). 

The following are the details of the notice for Da Xin Tankers:

Name of Company : Da Xin Tankers (Pte) Ltd (In Creditor’s Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No. : 198400895W
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Amount per centum (US$) : 5.00 cents to a dollar of admitted unsecured claims
First and Final or otherwise : Second Interim Dividend
When payable : 17 September 2026
Where payable : Entitlements will be made either by way of telegraphic transfer or by cheque, to be collected from the Company’s registered address as above

The following are the details of the notice for Nan Chiau Maritime:

Name of Company : Nan Chiau Maritime (Pte.) Ltd. (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No.: 200814296Z
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Amount per centum (US$) : 7.00 cents to a dollar of admitted unsecured claims
First and Final or otherwise : Third Interim Dividend
When payable : 17 September 2026
Where payable : Entitlements will be made either by way of telegraphic transfer or by cheque, to be collected from the Company’s registered address as above.

 

Photo credit: Benjamin Child
Published: 18 September, 2026

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Alternative Fuels

GCMD, BCG: Engine choices today to shape shipping’s fuel pathways through 2050

New fuels could reach around 60% of fleet energy consumption under a sufficiently strong carbon price signal, modelled at USD 700/tCO2e by 2050.

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GCMD, BCG: Engine choices today to shape shipping’s fuel pathways through 2050

With vessels operating for 25 to 30 years and only around 4% of the fleet renewed annually, newbuild decisions made over the coming decade will establish much of the engine capacity available in 2050, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation said on Thursday (17 September). 

Yet having the capacity to consume a new fuel does not guarantee its uptake. Dual-fuel engines allow shipowners to switch between conventional fuels and the selected new fuel as economics and regulations evolve; continued fuel competitiveness is therefore critical to what vessels ultimately consume.

These are among the findings of Navigating the maritime fuel transition: How fuel economics, regulations, and fleet decisions shape the future bunkering landscape, based on a model jointly developed by the GCMD and Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

The model illustrates this dynamic in its base scenario. With the Tier-2 penalty under the IMO Net-Zero Framework held at USD 380/tCO2e through 2050, methanol dual-fuel engines account for around 10% of fleet engine capacity in 2050, but methanol represents just 2% of fleet energy consumption. With conventional fuels remaining more economical under this regulatory regime, methanol dual-fuel vessels continue to operate on fuels cheaper than methanol (Figure 1).

A global carbon price of USD 700/tCO2e materially changes the transition

The base scenario demonstrates how fuel economics can limit uptake even when vessels have the capacity to use new fuels. This picture changes if the IMO Tier-2 penalty rises to USD 700/tCO2e by 2050, at which point new fuels, including dropins, reach approximately 61% of fleet energy consumption (Figure 1).

By contrast, EU regulations alone will not drive a marked global shift, as they cover only around 20% of international shipping’s energy demand.

Overall cost of using e-methanol and e-ammonia is near parity

While a stronger global carbon price can accelerate the shift towards new fuels, the model does not point to a clear cost winner between e-methanol and e-ammonia.

E-ammonia’s production cost advantage is largely offset by higher logistics costs arising from its toxicity, including specialised crew training, larger exclusion zones, and more complex bunkering. As a result, the overall cost (Figure 2) of using e-ammonia and e-methanol is near parity through to 2050.

Fig 2 Constituents of levelised cost of fuel use

Professor Lynn Loo, CEO of GCMD, said: “Many vessels ordered over the coming decade will still be operating in 2050. Shipowners are therefore making long-lived engine choices before the relative economics of future fuels are clear. 

“Our modelling puts into perspective just how difficult closing the cost gap between new and conventional fuels will be. The carbon price required to close this gap is substantial. And achieving it will be particularly challenging in today’s geopolitical environment. Understanding the signposts that could change these economics will be critical to the decisions the industry makes today.”

Anand Veeraraghavan, Managing Director & Senior Partner at BCG, said: “The maritime fuel transition is being shaped as much by policy and cost uncertainty as by technology readiness. 

“Rather than offer a single prediction, our approach with GCMD maps how sensitive each fuel pathway’s competitive position is to a handful of critical variables — policy scenarios, key cost drivers, and potential restrictions. Our hope is that this gives shipowners, fuel suppliers, port operators, and infrastructure investors a practical tool to stress-test their own fuel strategies as conditions change.”

 

Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 18 September, 2026

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Newbuilding

Yang Ming names 15,500 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel “YM Weight”

Yang Ming held a naming ceremony at the HD HHI shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, for “YM Weight”, the fourth vessel in its series of five 15,500 TEU-class LNG dual-fuel container vessels built by HD HHI.

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Yang Ming names 15,500 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel “YM Weight”

Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) on Thursday (17 September) held a naming ceremony at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, for YM Weight, the fourth vessel in its series of five 15,500 TEU-class LNG dual-fuel container vessels built by HD HHI. 

Mrs. Chiu-Lien Lin, the spouse of Administrative Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Mr. Kuo-Shian Lin, was invited as the Godmother to officially name the vessel and perform the ceremonial cord-cutting, wishing the ship smooth sailing and full loading on all future voyages. 

This series of vessels built by HD HHI has a length overall (LOA) of 364.97 meters, a breadth of 51 meters, and a capacity of approximately 15,600 TEU. 

The vessels are equipped with high-pressure dual-fuel main engines that run on both LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil, along with integrated navigational information, equipment monitoring, broadband maritime satellite systems, and multiple energy-saving systems to enhance operational efficiency and navigational safety. 

YM Weight, the fourth vessel in the series, is jointly classed by CR and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), bringing international classification expertise and capabilities to safeguard the safety and technical compliance of next-generation LNG dual-fuel vessels. 

Furthermore, following proactive underwater noise measurements, the vessel has achieved two industry firsts by receiving the Underwater Noise (UWN) notation from ABS and the Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) notation from CR. The dual recognitions underscore Yang Ming’s commitment to mitigate operational impact on marine life and sustainable development. 

In addition to expanding its next-generation fleet and strengthening its core shipping business, Yang Ming has continued to strengthen professional training for seafarers operating alternative-fuel vessels. 

Yang Ming’s senior Captain Ming-Yeong Pan will serve as the delivery captain of ‘YM Weight’. Captain Pan is the first seafarer in Taiwan to receive the Advanced Training Certificate under the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code), Certificate No. 0001, issued by the Maritime and Port Bureau, MOTC. 

To date, 148 Yang Ming officers have completed advanced IGF Code training and will progressively undertake onboard training aboard LNG-fueled vessels and practical alternative-fuel bunkering training. 

 

Photo credit: Yang Ming Marine Transport
Published: 18 September, 2026

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