Singapore-based independent international ship management firm Thome Group simply registered no bunker quantity dispute case at Singapore this year, says the Deputy Chief Operating Officer of its Tanker Division.
‘I will say this has been a very positive step being taken by the government and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA),’ Ashish Malik told Manifold Times in an interview.
‘Usage of Mass Flow Meters and guiding regulations enforced by MPA, for bunkering operations in port of Singapore, have increased our confidence in the reliability of these operations. Quantity discrepancies, including those associated with cappuccino bunkers, had been our major concern earlier.
‘We have only one case, when there was some doubt, but otherwise we have not had any such case since the whole year.’
According to Malik, Singapore has always been Thome Group’s preferred port for bunkering and the use of MFM technology for bunkering has ‘definitely reduced headaches for us’.
The company currently manages a total of over 200 vessels, including more than 135 tankers.
Approximately fifteen vessels from the fleet sail by Singapore every week mostly for bunkering; with each vessel lifting an average of 1,000 metric tonnes (mt) of fuel per vessel.
Malik recalled an incident in 2015 when he boarded a vessel during to a bunker dispute.
‘I came to inspect the vessel and saw the Chief Engineer just standing at the accommodation and he immediately came to shook hands with me and I say: “What are you doing here?”’
‘He says: “Oh please have a look here!” The bunker tank was open and on looking in the tank I saw there was a lot of bubbles (cappuccino effect).
‘Our Chief Engineer immediately contacted the bunker supplier and gave the MPA hotline number a call as well and were fully supported by them.’
‘Without MFM, everybody had to be on their toes to tackle potential quantity issues.’
The compulsory use of MFM technology for fuel oil bunkering was made effective at Singapore since 1 January, 2017.
Photo credit: Thome
Published: 27 December, 2017
Feasibility studies on incorporating 5G technologies and mass flowmeter systems paired with e-BDN reporting in the works, says Zhoushan Port representative.
A total of 135 bunkering tankers are supporting fuel oil deliveries at Singapore port with a number waiting acceptance tests, show MPA data.
The development further questions if trust and reliability prevails regardless of different MFM systems used when bunkering at other ports.
‘MFMs will continue to have a place within the bunkering sector even when the shipping industry continues to adopt new types of marine fuels, such as LNG, biofuel, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen,’ states spokesman.
Master meter will be used for verification operation of duty MFMs installed on board Singapore bunker tankers due for yearly re-validation, learns Manifold Times.
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Cost of alternative bunker fuels, bunker operations and technology advancement are some considerations to be examined by the maritime industry, says Neo, director of SDE International Pte Ltd.
Kim Hyung Joon and Han Donghoon were planning to join the Singapore entities of Hartree Group - either Hartree Partners Singapore Pte Ltd or Hartree Marine Fuels - in October, discovered management.
‘When you think of Helmsman on the next occasion, think of us as lawyers with expertise in various fields. Come to us before a problem develops. It’s the process that matters,’ says Tang Chong Jun, Executive Director.
Bernard Chew was a former shareholder of MB Marine and was an authorised signatory of the company’s cheques at the material time, according to court documents obtained by Manifold Times.
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