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

Clean energy equipment and services provider CIMC Enric on Monday (7 September) said China’s first green methanol bunkering operation for a bulk carrier was completed at Guangzhou anchorage.

The company said the bunkering operation also marked the first bio-methanol STS bunkering operation at Guangzhou Port.

A total of 1,021 metric tonnes (mt) of bio-methanol was supplied ship-to-ship (STS) to the world’s first methanol dual-fuel Ultramax bulk carrier.

The operation was completed on 6 September by China Shipping & Sinopec Suppliers Co Ltd’s Da Qing 268, which carried bio-methanol produced at CIMC Enric’s green methanol facility in Zhanjiang.

The successful operation in Guangzhou, following previous green methanol bunkering operations in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, means that Guangdong-produced bio-based methanol has established a supply network across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The company said the development connects the production, storage, transportation and bunkering segments of the green methanol supply chain, moving the region beyond individual pilot projects towards coordinated operations across the Greater Bay Area.

CIMC Enric described its Zhanjiang green methanol facility as China’s first commercial-scale bio-methanol production plant.

Since beginning production, the Zhanjiang facility has maintained a stable production and delivery schedule, supplying bio-based methanol to major ports across China, with delivery volumes continuing to increase, according to the company.

The first phase of the facility has an annual production capacity of 50,000 metric tonnes (mt), while its methanol products have a carbon emission reduction rate of more than 85%, CIMC Enric said.

The products have also obtained ISCC EU sustainability certification, with the company saying their specifications meet international requirements for shipping decarbonisation and can support the low-carbon operation of vessels.

Photo credit: CIMC Enric
Published: 9 September, 2026

The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) on Tuesday (8 September) announced that it has joined the newly launched UK Alternative Maritime Fuels Coalition, a collaborative industry initiative aimed at accelerating access to alternative maritime fuels and supporting the shipping sector’s transition to net zero.

Facilitated by the UK Chamber of Shipping and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the coalition brings together shipowners, fuel suppliers, fuel producers, maritime technology developers and industry associations from across the maritime value chain.

The coalition has been established to address one of the most significant challenges facing shipping’s decarbonisation journey: ensuring that the fuels, infrastructure, investment and policy frameworks required for the energy transition are developed at the pace and scale needed.

IBIA joins a diverse group of organisations SEA-LNG, UK Ammonia Alliance, eFuel Alliance, Carbon Capture and Storage Association, Hydrogen UK, The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA), Renewable Transport Fuel Association and MI — The Global Methanol Alliance.

Together, coalition members will work to support practical solutions that enable the production, availability and uptake of alternative marine fuels in the UK.

The objectives of the coalition include:

• Coordinate industry action to support the shipping sector’s energy transition.
• Provide evidence-based input into the UK Government’s forthcoming consultation on domestic maritime fuel regulation.
• Champion a technology-neutral approach that supports investment in alternative fuels, port infrastructure and enabling technologies.
• Call for UK ETS maritime revenues to be directed towards maritime decarbonisation, including fuel production, port infrastructure and deployment.

Note: The joint statement can be read here. 

Photo credit: International Bunker Industry Association
Published: 9 September, 2026