Technology

SMW 2024: MPA partners with S&P Global and Bunkerchain in digital ship identity

MPA signed a MoU with S&P Global and Bunkerchain to use Singapore as test bed to trial and pilot use of digital ship identity in maritime applications such as digital port clearance and digital bunkering.

Published

1 year ago

April 16, 2024

Admin

SMW 2024: MPA partners with S&P Global and Bunkerchain in digital ship identity

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Tuesday (16 April) announced it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with S&P Global Market Intelligence and Bunkerchain to pilot the use of digital ship identity in the republic.

The signing took place at the ‘Accelerating Digitalisation and Decarbonisation Conference’ at Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) on the same day.

The parties agreed to use the Port of Singapore as the test bed to trial and pilot the use of digital ship identity in maritime applications such as digital port clearance and digital bunkering.

Digital identity refers to the unique representation of an entity in the digital world, which consists of various attributes and data that distinguishes it from others.

“Electronic transactions may be vulnerable to various risks as such identity fraud and data integrity breaches,” MPA said.

“Digital ship identity plays a crucial role in making electronic transactions more secure, trusted, and efficient in the maritime sector. When deployed in tandem with electronic signatures, these digital technologies will eliminate the need for physical ship stamps and wet ink signatures, and accelerate the transition towards a truly digital, secure, and paperless operations.”

MPA, together with Esri Singapore, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s Institute of High Performance Computing and the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore, also developed a digital twin proof-of-concept of a methanol bunkering leak incident.

“The digital twin runs on an interactive web application that integrates weather and ocean current predictions and AIS data to present visualisation of chemical plume dispersions in the event of a bunkering incident involving alternative fuels,” it said.

“The capability can help enhance planners’ understanding of the behaviour of the plume clouds under various conditions and guide the development of safety and incident response plans and standards.”

The port authority also announced a collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com company, to support the maritime industry’s digital transformation and green transition.

MPA will tap on AWS services including cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital twins to enhance the industry’s efficiency, safety, and sustainability outcomes.

As part of the collaboration, MPA and AWS will develop the maritime Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI–ML) Digital Hub, the first-of-its-kind in ASEAN region.

The AI–ML Digital Hub will leverage AWS cloud to enable the maritime industry to pilot innovative AI and generative AI (GenAI) capabilities to trial on the Green and Digital Shipping Corridors, optimising routes and fuel consumption, carbon emissions accounting, and just-in-time arrivals to help ships operate more efficiently, reduce greenhouse gases emissions, and enhance safety of operations.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between Mr David Foo, Assistant Chief Executive (Operations Technology), MPA and Ms Elsie Tan, Country Manager, Worldwide Public Sector, Singapore, AWS.

Photo credit: Bunkerchain
Published: 16 April 2024

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TFG Marine to launch of ZeroNorth e-BDNs at Port of Sohar after Singapore success

Kenneth Dam announced the successful trial and imminent roll-out of ZeroNorth’s electronic bunker delivery note solution for its customers in the Port of Sohar, in Oman.

Published

8 hours ago

April 30, 2025

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TFG Marine to launch ZeroNorth e-BDNs at Port of Sohar after success in Singapore

Global marine fuel supply and procurement firm TFG Marine on Tuesday (29 April) announced the company’s successful trial and imminent roll-out of ZeroNorth’s electronic bunker delivery note (e-BDN) solution for its customers in the Port of Sohar, in Oman.

A first for the Middle East region following the successful deployment of the same technology earlier this year by TFG Marine at the Port of Singapore. The eBDN trial in Oman was completed in collaboration with ZeroNorth and SGTraDex, using the Singapore standards as a benchmark.

Kenneth Dam, Global Head of Bunkering, said: "We’re excited to partner with ZeroNorth, Fratelli Cosulich Group Bunkers, SGTraDex and SOHAR Port and Freezone to shortly introduce e-BDNs to our customers here in Oman.”

“This technology, that we have already successfully introduced in Singapore is yet another step in modernising our industry. It will streamline the bunker delivery process, cut administrative burdens, enhance digital documentation and help build a smarter, more connected bunkering sector.”

“We remain committed to establishing e-BDNs as a global standard for bunker fuel delivery and will continue to work closely with port authorities to advocate for and deploy this technology across our operations.”

Dam made the announcement at the Oman Maritime, Ports and Energy Forum, during the panel discussion on The Transformative Power of Data: The Evolving Role of Digitalisation in Shipping and Bunkering.

Dam added the fully digital solution — accessible through TFG Marine’s mobile app and integrated with SGTraDex’s digital infrastructure, — will enable the inclusion of additional data, such as mass flow meter readings during fuel deliveries.

“By integrating this technology, we will drive significant improvements in efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and sustainability across our operations, complementing the global mass flow meter rollout across our fleet and reinforcing TFG Marine’s position at the forefront of the modern bunkering industry,” he said.

Manifold Times previously reported TFG Marine announcing the introduction of ZeroNorth’s e-BDNs for its customers in Singapore during 23rd Singapore International Bunkering Conference (SIBCON) by the end of 2024.

In November last year, TFG Marine announced its first digitalised marine fuel delivery in Singapore using electronic bunker delivery notes (e-BDNs).

Its team supplied VLSFO bunker fuel to Pacific Basin Shipping Limited’s Illovo River bulk carrier, marking the first of four bunkering deliveries that month where this new technology was successfully deployed.

Photo credit: TFG Marine
Published: 30 April, 2025

Methanol

Ofiniti to roll out e-BDNs for Golden Island methanol bunkering operations in Singapore

Ofiniti will issue electronic Bunker Delivery Notes, based on the recently published Technical Reference 129 on Methanol Bunkering, across Golden Island’s newbuilds and part of its existing fleet.

Published

1 day ago

April 29, 2025

Admin

Ofiniti to roll out e-BDNs for Golden Island methanol bunkering operations in Singapore

Ofiniti, a provider of digital solutions for maritime bunker operations, on Tuesday (29 April) said Singapore bunker supplier Golden Island Pte Ltd will adopt Ofiniti platforms for its expanding fleet operations.

Ofiniti said the move will lay the foundation for a digital multi-fuel future with Golden Island’s four new chemical tankers on order and Singapore-flagged bunker tanker Golden Antares, which will soon enter service.

As part of the transition, Ofiniti will roll out electronic Bunker Delivery Notes (e-BDNs), based on the recently published Technical Reference (TR) 129 on Methanol Bunkering, across Golden Island’s newbuilds and part of its existing fleet.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), through the Singapore Standards Council (SSC), on 10 March published TR 129 to provide a comprehensive framework for the safe and efficient use of methanol as an alternative fuel for bunkering operations.

Kenny Yap Song Jin, Low Carbon Solutions, Golden Island, said: “Launching our methanol bunkering operations is a major milestone, not just for Golden Island, but for Singapore’s journey toward multi-fuel readiness.

“By combining innovative low-carbon fuels with digital transparency, we set a new benchmark for safe, efficient, and sustainable marine fuel delivery.”

Ofiniti said it has supported suppliers through every stage of the industry’s transition, from conventional fuels to LNG, biofuels, hydrogen, and now, supporting methanol.

Tue Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer, Ofiniti, said: “I’m proud to welcome Golden Island to Ofiniti’s platforms.

“Their move signals a strong trust in our ability to support next-generation operations, and it reflects a broader shift in the market towards digital solutions built specifically for the realities of maritime fuels today and tomorrow.

“We are customer-obsessed, always trying to build in resilience to the way we are doing business.”

Manifold Times previously reported Golden Island’s plans to start bunkering trials of green methanol with its newbuild Singapore-flagged 7,999 dwt IMO type 2 bunker tanker from July.

Golden Antares was scheduled to depart a Chinese shipyard by late April and will lift green methanol produced by Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas) before returning to Singapore to begin bunkering trials.

In April, Ofiniti welcomed bunkering and marine fuel solutions provider Global Fuel Supply (GFS) to its FuelBoss platform as one of its newest customers.

GFS said it was proud to be the first physical supplier in West Africa to launch fully digitalised bunker operations with electronic bunker delivery note (e-BDN) via the FuelBoss platform.

Photo credit: Ofiniti
Published: 29 April, 2025

Digital platform

Shipergy launches new AI-powered platform linking bunker energy content and price

Energy Beacon leverages AI to analyse global fuel quality data, providing dynamic, port-by-port insights that help operators identify optimal suppliers based on both price and energy content.

Published

1 day ago

April 29, 2025

Admin

Tech-led marine fuels trading company Shipergy on Monday (28 April) announced the launch of Energy Beacon, an AI-powered platform that enables buyers to look beyond price-per-tonne and make procurement decisions based on predicted energy content.

Energy Beacon is a customer-facing platform to directly connect fuel price with actual energy value, empowering buyers to negotiate with transparency.

By shifting the industry's focus from cost-per-tonne to cost-per-unit-of-energy, Shipergy enables shipping companies to maximise operational efficiency and drive meaningful progress toward both economic and environmental goals.

“When we founded Shipergy, we envisioned creating a company at the nexus of shipping and energy—hence our name. We recognised that shipping companies are fundamentally energy buyers, not just fuel purchasers,” said Daniel Rose, CEO of Shipergy.

“Energy Beacon is the realisation of that vision, bridging the critical gap between what shipping companies pay for and what they actually need: reliable, measurable energy to power their operations.”

Energy Beacon uses artificial intelligence to analyse global fuel quality data, providing dynamic, port-by-port insights that help operators identify optimal suppliers based on both price and energy content.

The platform reveals energy content can vary significantly between suppliers in the same port—differences that have significant impact on vessel performance and operational costs but remain invisible in traditional procurement processes.

Energy Beacon will ultimately helping shipping companies to: