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Singapore: NYK becomes GCMD’s first Japan-headquartered strategic partner

Partnership will further boosts centre’s capacity and efforts to conduct pilots and trials of low-carbon solutions to provide clear and specific pathways to decarbonise shipping.

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The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) on Tuesday (4 July) announced the signing of a five-year Strategic Partnership agreement. 

Both said the significant partnership further boosts the centre’s capacity and efforts to conduct pilots and trials of low-carbon solutions to provide clear and specific pathways to decarbonisation of the global shipping industry.

Japan is one of the top three shipowning countries in the world, and Japanese merchant vessels account for around 11% of world tonnage. Numbers from Clarksons Green Transition Team further indicate that Japan leads other nations in alternative-fuel-ready vessel orders, constituting about 10% of the global equivalent.

As the largest shipowner in Japan, NYK is a forward-leaning global shipping company that carries a progressive outlook on decarbonisation and undertakes a whole of value chain approach, bringing together the regulatory authorities in Japan as well as key stakeholders in the private sector to work collaboratively to decarbonise shipping.

NYK is the first shipping company in Japan to independently obtain an approval-in-principle (AiP) for an ammonia bunkering vessel (ABV) from ClassNK and is on track to retrofit Sakigake, an LNG-fuelled tugboat, with an ammonia-fuelled engine. The resulting ammonia-fuelled tugboat (A-Tug) is expected to commence operation in 2024.

Additionally, NYK is making efforts with partner companies to deliver an oceangoing ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier (AFAGC) by 2026. NYK was therefore a natural partner in the GCMD-commissioned ammonia bunkering pilot safety study that was completed in April. As one of 22 Study Partners, NYK contributed significantly to the safety study by sharing the learnings from its experience with ammonia.

For GCMD’s pilot on developing an assurance framework for drop-in biofuels, NYK trialled VLSFO (B24) on board Lycaste Peace in February 2023, contributing to the successful completion of the second of five supply chains of the full pilot. With this data and data from the four other supply chains, GCMD is developing a robust framework for quality and quantity assurance of drop-in biofuels and GHG accounting. GCMD is also conducting a green premium cost-benefit analysis of deploying biofuels with NYK and other partners involved in the pilot.

Professor Lynn Loo, CEO of the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, said: “We are proud to have NYK, a prominent Japanese shipping line, join us as a Strategic Partner, given its strong commitment to decarbonisation and Japan’s standing as a major maritime nation.”

“This  Strategic Partnership agreement with NYK formalises and strengthens our existing relations in working on low-carbon solutions for international shipping. We look forward to levelling up the engagement with NYK to further accelerate collective efforts towards shipping’s decarbonisation.” 

Takaya Soga, President and CEO of NYK, said: “We are honored to be GCMD’s strategic partner, and I am very confident that this partnership will greatly empower our efforts to reduce GHG emissions from the maritime sector.”

“Through the partnership, I am looking forward to cooperating with GCMD and all its partners to realize the widespread social implementation of various decarbonisation solutions in our industry.”

Related: Astomos, NYK Line complete B24 biofuel bunker trial with GCMD consortium
Related: GCMD-led consortium completes trials of sustainable biofuel bunker supply chains
Related: GCMD-led consortium to establish supply chain of green marine fuels
Related: Japanese consortium to develop and build ammonia-powered tugboat

 

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 4 July, 2023

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Bunker Fuel

Singapore: Bunker fuel sales soar by 7.5% on year in June 2025

4.59 million mt of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in June, up from 4.27 million mt recorded during the similar month in 2024, according to MPA.

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Singapore: Bunker fuel sales soar by 7.5% on year in June 2025

Sales of marine fuel at Singapore port increased by 7.5% on year in June 2025, according to Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) data.

In total, 4.59 million metric tonnes (mt) (exact 4,594,700 mt) of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in June, up from 4.27 million mt (4,274,900 mt) recorded during the similar month in 2024.

Deliveries of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in June (against on year) recorded respectively 1.70 million mt (+8.6% from 1.56 million mt), 2.31 million mt (-7.2% from 2.33 million mt), 1,900 mt (from zero), 4,500 mt (-88% from 8,000 mt) and zero (from zero).

Singapore: Bunker fuel sales soar by 7.5% on year in June 2025

Bio-blended variants of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in June (against on year) recorded respectively 38,800 mt (+671.7% from 2,500 mt), 114,300 mt (+97.9% from 45,400 mt), zero (from zero), zero (from zero) and zero (from zero). B100 biofuel bunkers, introduced in February this year, recorded 1,000 mt of deliveries in June.

LNG and methanol sales were respectively 55,400 mt (-7.8% from 51,700) and zero (from zero mt). There were no recorded sales of ammonia for the month and so far in 2025.

Related: Singapore: Bunker sales volume raises to year record high of 4.88 million mt in May
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales increase by 4% on year in April 2025
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales increase by 0.5% on year in March 2025
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales down by 8.1% on year in February 2025
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales down by 9.1% on year in January 2025

A complete series of articles on Singapore bunker volumes reported by Manifold Times tracked since 2018 can be found via the link here.

 

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 15 July 2025

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Alternative Fuels

ITOCHU orders world’s first ammonia bunkering vessel for Singapore demonstration project

Company contracted Sasaki Shipbuilding to build the 5,000 m3 vessel and Izumi Steel Works to construct an ammonia tank plant that will be loaded onto the vessel, which is expected to be delivered in 2027.

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ITOCHU orders world’s first ammonia bunkering vessel for Singapore demonstration project

ITOCHU Corporation (ITOCHU) on Monday (14 July) announced that it recently signed a shipbuilding contract for the construction of a 5,000 m3 ammonia bunkering vessel with Sasaki Shipbuilding. 

The company also announced an agreement regarding the construction of an ammonia tank plant that will be loaded onto the vessel with Izumi Steel Works. 

These agreements were signed by Clean Ammonia Bunkering Shipping Pte Ltd (CABS), a wholly owned Singapore-based specific purpose company of ITOCHU. 

In relation to this, CABS has concluded a financing agreement with The Hiroshima Bank for financing a part of purchase price of the vessel.

The agreements were concluded to pursue the Demonstration Project for Bunkering Ammonia as Marine Fuel in Singapore adopted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan as part of the Global South Future-oriented Co-Creation Project (large-scale demonstration in ASEAN member states). 

Going forward, with an eye toward the demonstration of ammonia bunkering in Singapore after building the world’s first newbuilding ammonia bunkering vessel, ITOCHU said efforts will be made to facilitate concrete discussions with the maritime stakeholders, including the port authority in Singapore, the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), and the fuel producers, while obtaining support from the Japanese Government.

The vessel is to be flagged under the Singapore Registry and is expected to be delivered in September 2027.

ITOCHU will establish a safe offshore bunkering operation of ammonia as marine fuel by way of ship-to-ship transfer through the development and construction of the vessel and demonstration. 

Then, by utilising the vessel, ITOCHU will establish connection between the first movers in clean ammonia production and the first movers in the ammonia-fueled vessels and secure initial demand for ammonia as marine fuel, aiming at the commercialisation of ammonia bunkering business in Singapore and expansion of similar business model to major maritime transportation points around the world, including Spain (Strait of Gibraltar), Egypt (Suez Canal) and Japan.

 

Photo credit: ITOCHU Corporation
Published: 15 July 2025

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Biofuel

Chimbusco Pan Nation delivers first B30-MGO bio bunker fuel blend supply in Hong Kong

The supply, delivered to Orient Overseas Container Line, represents the first time OOCL has received this fuel blend in the region; operation also included a simultaneous delivery of B30-HSFO.

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Chimbusco Pan Nation delivers first B30-MGO bio bunker fuel blend supply in Hong Kong

Hong Kong-based marine fuel oil supplier Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical (CPN) on Friday (11 July) announced the first-ever delivery of a B30-Marine Gasoil (B30-MGO) which consists of 30% biodiesel and 70% Marine Gasoil (MGO), in Hong Kong. 

The supply, delivered to Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), represents the first time OOCL has received this fuel blend in the region.

In addition to the B30-MGO, this operation included a simultaneous delivery of B30-High Sulphur Marine Fuel Oil.

“This delivery, completed on 11 July, solidifies CPN’s leadership in advancing green fuel solutions in East Asia. Being the first bunker supplier in the region capable of providing all grades of ISCC-EU Certified marine biofuel, including marine fuel and gas oil, CPN demonstrates its commitment to supporting the maritime industry’s transition to sustainable energy,” the company said on its website. 

 

Photo credit: Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical
Published: 15 July, 2025

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