Secure systems, trusted data and reliable digital services are becoming as important to maritime operations as physical infrastructure, said Mr David Foo, Deputy Chief Executive (Operations & Technology), Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), on Thursday (10 September). 

In his opening keynote speech at APPEC 2026 Shipping And Bunker Conference, Foo said OCEANS-X, Digital Bunkering and the Maritime Digital Twin are enabling trusted data sharing, better operational planning and the testing of new digital solutions.

Foo said since 2025, digital bunkering has strengthened the efficiency and transparency of bunker operations. 

“We are now working with industry on the next phase, trialling capabilities to further strengthen the integrity and quality of bunker data shared between stakeholders and MPA.” he said.

He also said MPA is taking a forward-looking approach to the energy transition.

“Over the coming decades, we are likely to see the most diverse marine fuel mix in shipping’s history. There may not be a single fuel of the future.”

“Our role as a global bunkering hub is therefore not to determine which fuel will prevail. Our role is to ensure that whichever fuels the industry adopts, Singapore is ready – with the infrastructure, standards and operational capabilities to support them.”

Foo said MPA is making concrete progress across the major alternative fuel pathways with the issuance of methanol bunkering licences and the commencement of methanol bunkering operations. 

“For ammonia, we are developing the regulatory and operational frameworks needed to support future commercial deployment. We are also facilitating greater use of sustainable biofuels,” he said.

At the same time, MPA continues to expand its LNG bunkering ecosystem, with additional licences issued this year. 

“This will broaden supply options as more LNG-fuelled vessels enter the global fleet. We have also just updated our LNG standards, while maintaining the high standards of safety and reliability that underpin Singapore’s reputation as a trusted bunkering hub,” Foo added.

Related: MPA Chief Executive: Port of Singapore begins digital bunkering initiative today
Related: Singapore: Golden Island, GET, and PetroChina to receive methanol bunkering licences
Related: Singapore: Equatorial Marine Fuel among eight selected for new LNG bunkering licences
Related: Singapore strengthens LNG bunkering framework with new SS 727 standard

Photo credit: Swapnil Bapat on Unsplash
Published: 10 September, 2026

Kongsberg Maritime has agreed to acquire Finnish marine propulsion systems designer and manufacturer Steerprop, the latter said on Monday (7 September).

Steerprop has built a strong position as a specialised propulsion supplier, providing propulsion systems for icebreakers, polar research vessels, offshore support vessels and other demanding applications.

 The company has an installed base of more than 400 vessels globally and a significant order backlog, with the majority linked to Arctic and ice-class projects.

Steerprop CEO Riku-Pekka Hägg, said: “From day one, our mission has been to help customers solve complex challenges through innovative technology. Steerprop is growing heavily and have become the market leader in the Arctic propulsion segment, and as we considered the next stage of our journey, we carefully evaluated the strategic options for accelerating our growth. 

“It became clear that Kongsberg Maritime was the ideal partner, with a strong strategic fit, shared heritage, and local presence. Becoming part of Kongsberg Maritime secures the continuation of our legacy, preserves our expertise and know-how, and strengthens our position as the leading provider of azimuth propulsion solutions. Together, we’ll have the scale, resources, and expertise to innovate faster, serve our customers even better, and pursue our mission with even greater ambition.”

Ville Rimpilä, Senior Vice President – Thruster Systems, Kongsberg Maritime, said: “Steerprop has developed strong technology, valuable customer relationships and a leading position in Arctic propulsion. By combining their expertise with Kongsberg Maritime’s global reach and integrated solutions portfolio, we believe we can create additional value for customers while strengthening our position in a strategically important market.”

Both companies will continue to operate independently until the transaction has been completed. Existing projects, deliveries and contractual commitments remain unchanged, and ensuring continuity for customers will be the highest priority throughout the process.

Following completion of the transaction, the intention is to fully integrate Steerprop into Kongsberg Maritime in a phased and structured manner. 

The integration will focus on safeguarding customer relationships, maintaining delivery performance and retaining critical competence while gradually adopting common systems, processes and operating models.

Photo credit: Kongsberg Maritime
Published: 8 September, 2026

Finland-based fuel supply systems provider Auramarine on Wednesday (2 September) said it believes shipping’s energy transition is entering a phase where flexibility, not fuel choice, will determine which operators adapt successfully. 

With fuel price volatility, inconsistent alternative availability and tightening environmental regulation at different speeds across regions, Auramarine argued that the right approach to fuel supply infrastructure is now as strategically important as the fuel itself.

“The industry has spent years asking which fuel will win,” said John Bergman, CEO, Auramarine. 

“That may be the wrong question. No operator today can predict with confidence what will be available, compliant or commercially viable in five years. The operators who adapt best will be the ones who built in the flexibility to their fuel strategy to respond as conditions change.”

Auramarine’s own fuel split technology, first delivered in 2019 and now installed on around 20 vessels, reflects this thinking in practice. The retrofit system adds a fuel booster module onboard, allowing a ship to run different fuels through the same engine without the extended changeover procedures dual-fuel systems typically require.

This lets operators switch to MGO or biofuel, for example, to meet an ECA requirement, support maintenance schedules, or respond to fuel pricing shifts, without taking a vessel out of service. Delivered in sections through existing doors and hatches, it can be retrofitted to vessels already in operation.

Bergman sees this need for adaptability sharpening in sectors under the most operational and regulatory pressure. 

“Cruise and ferry operators feel this earliest and most acutely,” he said. 

“These vessels constantly move between regulatory zones and environmentally sensitive waters, so the ability to switch fuel supply without disrupting a schedule is an operational necessity. What’s notable is how many operators in this space still don’t know infrastructure like this exists, despite how directly it addresses what they’re already dealing with.”

Reliable flexibility requires a tailored approach, not just adding equipment. “The best results come from scoping flexibility to an owner’s actual fuel strategy, not adding complexity for its own sake,” Bergman added. 

Automated fuel changeover systems are designed to keep multi-fuel operations straightforward for crews, while a structured maintenance approach ensures inspection, testing and servicing can be carried out safely throughout the vessel’s lifecycle. This is where Auramarine’s lifecycle services play a central role, supporting operators well beyond initial installation with the ongoing servicing, spares and technical support needed to keep flexible fuel systems performing reliably for the long term, whatever the fuel landscape looks like in years to come.

“Over the next few years, operators who succeed will be the ones who stopped waiting for certainty and started building optionality instead,” Bergman added

“In a transition this uncertain, adaptability matters more than any single fuel bet. That’s the conversation we want the industry to have.”

Photo credit: Auramarine
Published: 7 September, 2026