Singapore-based Hafnia and Studio 30 50 to launch digital bunker platform FuelSure

Singapore-headquartered tanker operator Hafnia on Thursday (20 March) said it is set to launch FuelSure – a digital platform to combat ‘hidden costs’ in the global bunker supply, bringing greater transparency, accountability, and cost savings to the maritime bunker fuel market.

The platform has been developed in collaboration with Studio 30 50, a Venture Growth Team for maritime innovation.

Peter Martin Grünwaldt, VP Head of Bunkers at Hafnia, said: “Hidden costs in bunker supply have plagued the maritime world for decades, with unreliable fuel quality that can cause mechanical breakdowns or even vessel detentions and delivery discrepancies that can prove both costly and imply foul play somewhere in the delivery chain.”

“While bunkers themselves remain costly, these additional factors create significant losses on both a short-term and industry-wide scale. FuelSure addresses these issues head-on by centralising supplier reviews and performance metrics, empowering our crews and trading teams to make data-driven decisions that reduce risks and ultimately benefit the entire global supply chain.”

By integrating real-time vessel feedback, lab analyses, and financial loss data, FuelSure aims to quantify the “value of trust” for shipowners and traders navigating one of the shipping industry’s most opaque sectors – where quantity shortages alone can cost up to USD 5.2 billion annually.

FuelSure collects critical data points each time a vessel takes on fuel, such as barge condition, delivery accuracy, and overall supplier performance—and blends them with lab-verified chemical analyses of the fuel itself. The platform also tracks the downstream financial impact of bad bunkers, from engine damage to operational delays, to provide a comprehensive performance score for every supplier.

FuelSure is currently in beta testing with a select group of industry experts. The platform is set to debut at Singapore Maritime Week on 24 March, where the team will demonstrate its features and gather additional feedback before its wider release.

Hafnia and Studio 30 50 believe this early engagement will ensure the solution meets the rigorous demands of global shipping and paves the way for broader industry adoption. FuelSure’s go-to-market will involve strategic pilots with select fleets, partnerships with testing labs and classification societies, and phased rollouts in major global ports. This is set to lay the groundwork for a more transparent and efficient bunkering ecosystem worldwide.

Shanker Pillai, Head of Studio 30 50, said: “Through our collaboration with Hafnia, we discovered that industry players often have no clear way to evaluate the long-term cost of subpar bunkering. With FuelSure, we are not only shining a light on hidden costs; but also driving a culture of accountability and transparency that could reshape the maritime sector’s approach to fuel procurement.”

Studio 30 50 was launched by Hafnia in collaboration with Hafnia, Microsoft, DNV, IMC Ventures and Wilhelmsen in 2023. The studio’s objective is to identify new solutions which can address a broad range of ESG topics concerning the maritime industry, while also funding innovative proposals (built by startups) which seek to improve efficiencies across the whole maritime supply chain.

Photo credit: Hafnia
Published: 21 March, 2025