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Wärtsilä points out ‘weakest link’ in online bunker transactions

Mark Milford, VP of Cyber Security at Wärtsilä, offers Manifold Times readers some pointers on managing fake invoices and other types of cyber threats.
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The bunkering industry experiences exactly the same cyber security vulnerabilities as other parts of the maritime industry and its exposure includes employees’ cyber hygiene, operational technology and financial transactions, says the VP of Cyber Security at Wärtsilä.

“It’s a business risk and people within the bunker industry have to know the threats they are facing and mitigate measures; the only way to do that is to have better understanding of the threat,” Mark Milford tells Manifold Times.

“Unless the equipment is up to date with the latest software or there are processes in place to prevent unauthorised access, anything that is connected either remotely or through physical means can have data accessed, altered or is vulnerable to cyber-attacks.”

Phishing, a fraudulent attempt at obtaining sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication, is especially common in the bunkering industry, states Milford.

He uses the example of a 2014 bunkering scam which cost World Fuel Services (WFS) approximately USD $18 million in damages where, in short, a scammer sent messages to WFS with payment information belonging to the criminal.

“The people aspect is particularly important in avoiding being a victim of cybercrime,” says Milford adding “educating people has the biggest affect across the board in terms of cyber resilience.” 

“The cybercriminal will always go after easiest options for generating revenue for themselves and in most cases that is actually the person who is operating the system; for example, in a phishing campaign with a fake invoice.

“The solution will be to educate the staff about cyber hygiene so they are aware of the threat likely to face them. This includes people involved in bunkering and people working in finance.” 

Meanwhile, Milford questions the reliability of cyberattack figures within the maritime industry.

“Nobody knows whether or not there were 2,000+ attacks last year in the bunkering industry because nobody wants to disclose them. The bunkering sector is especially reticent because you are not just dealing with reputation risk but also environmental impact as well if the operational technology is compromised,” he says.

“So only by understating what the threat is can you put in place mitigation measures.”

Milford was speaking to Manifold Times on the side lines of the launch of the International Maritime Cyber Centre of Excellence (IMCCE) at Singapore. The IMCCE consists of a Maritime Cyber Emergency Response Team (MCERT) and a cyber-academy.

The IMCCE is the world’s first industry solution for the marine industry, founded by Wärtsilä together with its strategic partner in cyber security, Templar Executives. 

“So in terms of understanding the threat we are partnering with Templar Executives to produce the first ever maritime threat integration facility,” notes Milford.

“Templar Executives are specialists working with government and has vast knowledge in maritime sector because they are responsible for drafting the BIMCO cyber security guidelines as well as working with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) departments.

“So, with vast maritime experience Wärtsilä has and their experience in the cyber sector we hope to be able to offer a holistic threat picture for all of our customers – this includes bunkering.”

Photo credit: Wärtsilä
Published: 24 October, 2018

 

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GCMD: Project CAPTURED achieves two regulatory milestones for onboard captured CO2

CO2 captured onboard during the project has been formally recognised for compliance under the EU ETS while a proposal submitted to MEPC 84, based on the project, has received IMO’s in-principle support.

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Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Wednesday (21 July) said Project CAPTURED has achieved two regulatory milestones that strengthen the commercial case for onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS).

This comes following its world’s first demonstration of an end-to-end value chain for onboard captured and liquefied CO2 (LCO2).

Completed in June 2025, the pilot showed that CO2 captured onboard a vessel can be offloaded ship-to-ship, transported overland and permanently bound through carbon mineralisation—a process that converts captured CO₂ into stable materials for industrial use.

The CO2 captured onboard during Project CAPTURED has been formally recognised for compliance under the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). This means the verified tonnage of captured CO2 can be deducted from emissions requiring the surrender of EU Allowances (EUAs).

To qualify for this recognition, the CO2 must be chemically bound permanently in eligible products. Project CAPTURED demonstrated that CO2 captured onboard vessels can meet this requirement through carbon mineralisation.

The data and learnings from the same demonstration formed the basis of a proposal submitted to MEPC 84. This proposal received in-principle support from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for recognising carbon mineralisation as a form of permanent CO₂ storage.

Complementing geological sequestration, which is already accepted by the IMO, this recognition broadens the downstream options for CO2 captured onboard vessels, and supports the development of maritime carbon value chains. Beyond providing a permanent storage pathway, carbon mineralisation also creates the potential for captured CO2 to serve not only as a waste stream requiring permanent storage, but also as a feedstock for industrial applications through carbon mineralisation, extending emissions reductions beyond the shipping value chain.

Professor Lynn Loo, CEO, GCMD, said, “Project CAPTURED has moved OCCS beyond technical demonstration. The acceptance of the EU ETS deduction gives captured CO₂ a compliance value. At the same time, IMO’s in-principle support for carbon mineralisation will help clarify how captured CO2 can be treated after it leaves the vessel. Together, these milestones turn a pilot into a verified reference case for maritime carbon logistics, one that links regulatory recognition, commercial value and emissions impact.”

 

Photo credit: Venti Views on Unsplash
Published: 22 July, 2026

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Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform, with Ocean Network Express as its first buyer-side integration partner.

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Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti, the digital platform for maritime fuel operations, on Tuesday (21 July) said it has started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform.

The company announced Singapore-headquartered container shipping firm Ocean Network Express (ONE) as its first buyer-side integration partner. 

“It is no coincidence we start in Singapore, as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) remains at the forefront of digitalisation of all things bunkering,” the company said in a social media post.

In November 2023, MPA launched its digital bunkering platform, becoming the world’s first port to implement e-BDN. 

Ofiniti said every bunker delivery still runs on retyped data. 

“The buyer’s system says one thing, the supplier says another, and someone reconciles the gap by email, phone, or PDF. On every stem,” the company said. 

“We built FuelBoss to change this reality.”

With the integration, operational data now flows without manual re-entry, fewer reconciliation errors and faster processing and data, instead of documents, are readily available for procurement and claims workflows. 

“One connection will not transform the industry on its own, but digitalisation gets built one integration at a time. We are grateful to ONE for being willing to go first,” Ofiniti added.

Manifold Times previously reported ONE completing its successful trial of the electronic Bunker Delivery Note (e-BDN) with Shell. 

The e-BDN trial, using the digital bunkering solution developed by Angsana Technology, was conducted on 9 September 2023 at the Port of Singapore, with support from the MPA.

In March 2025, Ofiniti acquired Singapore-based Angsana Technology, with the entire Angsana team joining Ofiniti as part of the acquisition.

Related: MPA Chief Executive: Port of Singapore begins digital bunkering initiative today
Related: Singapore set to become first port in the world to debut electronic bunker delivery notes
Related: ONE completes e-BDN adoption trial with Shell in Port of Singapore
Related: Ofiniti acquires Singapore-based Angsana Technology to advance digital bunkering solutions

 

Photo credit: Ofiniti
Published: 22 July, 2026

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Genevos and Koedood Marine Group team up on maritime hydrogen fuel cell deployment

Collaboration will explore how ready-to-use marine fuel cell systems can support shipowners and shipyards in the transition towards zero-emission operations.

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Genevos and Koedood Marine Group team up on maritime hydrogen fuel cell deployment

Marine fuel cell systems provider Genevos recently said the company signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with engine supplier Koedood Marine Group to explore the deployment of hydrogen fuel cell systems for inland and coastal maritime transport. 

The LOI was signed by Phil Sharp, co-founder and CTO of Genevos, and Mühlheim, Business Development Director of Koedood Marine Group during the 2026 Advanced Maritime Technology Show in Amsterdam.

Building on Koedood’s proven experience in hydrogen maritime projects – including its ongoing work with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and TNO on hydrogen engine development – the collaboration will explore how ready-to-use marine fuel cell systems can support shipowners and shipyards in the transition towards zero-emission operations. 

“Koedood has a strong reputation in the maritime sector and a deep understanding of vessel operators’ needs. This LOI is an important step in exploring how Genevos’ hydrogen fuel cell systems can be deployed more widely across inland and maritime applications, helping shipowners reduce onboard emissions with robust, practical and scalable clean power solutions,” said Sharp.

The collaboration aligns with growing market demand for rapidly deployable hydrogen solutions and the wider need to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission technologies across the maritime sector. 

“With this collaboration, we are further strengthening our portfolio of maritime energy solutions. Together with Genevos, we are exploring how we can support our customers in the adoption of hydrogen technology,” said Mühlheim.

 

Photo credit: Genevos
Published: 20 July, 2026

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