The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Thursday (10 April) said it has received 14 proposals under its Expression of Interest (EOI) to scale up the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as marine fuel in the Port of Singapore.

A total of 18 companies took part in the EOI. These included energy companies, fuel suppliers, traders, bunker operators, and storage providers. 

“The range of submissions reflect the industry’s readiness to support sea-based LNG reloading to complement existing onshore infrastructure and supply more options,” MPA said in a statement. 

Eight of the submissions included bio-methane and e-methane solutions. These fuels can offer lower lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and support the needs of international shipping for additional options for vessel operators on the energy transition pathway.

MPA will work with shortlisted companies to carry out sea-based LNG reloading trials by the second half of 2025. It will also develop plans to promote the use bio- and e-methane as marine fuels in Singapore. 

The trials will assess scalability, technical feasibility, safety, operational readiness, and digital connectivity, as well as measures to address methane slip.

Insights from the proposals and trials will inform MPA’s review of the LNG bunkering licensing framework, including enhancements to existing supply arrangements to better meet the needs of international shipping. These efforts contribute to the emission reduction efforts discussed at the International Maritime Organization.

Manifold Times previously reported MPA launching an EOI to explore scalable solutions for sea-based LNG reloading to complement the existing onshore LNG bunkering storage and jetty capacities and the supply of e/bio-methane as marine fuel in the Port of Singapore.

According to the EOI, demand for LNG bunkering is expected to grow further with a growing global fleet of LNG dual-fuelled vessels and competitive LNG bunker prices. 

Related: Singapore: MPA launches EOI to expand LNG bunkering services amid growing demand

Photo credit: TotalEnergies
Published: 10 April, 2025

Classification society DNV recently published a Maritime Impact article to summarize its white paper examining the growing uptake of biofuels in shipping, bunkering trends and provides practical guidance around their use:

Biofuels are an increasingly attractive decarbonization option for shipowners. A new white paper from DNV analyses an evolving supply picture, while also providing technical guidance to shipowners planning to use it as a drop-in fuel.

Growing international pressure to decarbonize shipping has seen a significant increase in demand for biofuels in recent years. With several biofuels seen as “sustainable”, these can provide immediate decarbonization results for shipowners. However, as the new DNV white paper explains, supply is limited, and some technical and operational considerations should still be taken into account by shipowners before and during their use.

Biofuel as a decarbonization option

Although most biofuels contain carbon, which is released as CO2 during combustion, many can still lead to significant reductions in carbon emissions.

“This is because of the carbon cycle,” says Øyvind Sekkesæter, Consultant in Maritime Environmental Technology at DNV and lead author of DNV’s white paper. “When biomass grows, it absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere. This can, in theory, negate the release of CO2 when biofuel is burned.”

“However, in a life cycle perspective, there will still be emissions related to the harvesting of biomass, transportation and processing, meaning that 100% carbon neutrality is difficult to achieve in practice. This is particularly relevant now that shipping regulations, such as FuelEU Maritime, consider emissions on a ‘well-to-wake’ basis.”

Drop-in capability

Perhaps the most attractive aspect of biofuels is their ability to be used as a “drop-in” fuel on existing vessels. This means that biodiesels like FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) and HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) – the two most commonly used biofuels in shipping today – can be used to fuel vessels designed for operation on conventional fuel oils, while liquefied biogas, or bio-LNG, can be used directly on board LNG-capable vessels. They can be either stand-alone fuel products or blends with conventional fuels.

“This drop-in capability is very important, because it means that many biofuels can be applied directly to the existing fleet, where other decarbonization options might be difficult,” says Sekkesæter. “This is understandably an appealing choice for shipowners as it enables them to significantly reduce emissions without, for example, large-scale investment in engine retrofitting.”

Supply of biofuels

According to the white paper, the total global production of liquid biofuels (primarily ethanol, FAME and HVO) and biogases reached about 111 and 41 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) respectively in 2023. The paper also estimates that about 15% of liquid and 65% of gaseous biofuels were based on advanced feedstocks as defined according to the EU Renewable Energy Directive.

Shipping’s share of global supply is extremely low. In 2023, this was around 0.7 Mtoe, accounting for about 0.6% of the global supply of liquid biofuels. This was similar to aviation, which accounted for around 0.5% of global supply in 2023. Road transport remains the prevalent user of biofuels, taking 98.9% of global liquid biofuel supply in 2023.

In 2023, biofuels accounted for just 0.3% of marine energy use.

Bunkering of biofuels mapped out

For biofuels to play a major role in maritime decarbonization, supply and availability in major bunkering hubs will need to increase. Through a systematic review of public information, the DNV white paper has identified more than 60 ports where biofuel bunkering has taken place since 2015. While bunkering availability is quite geographically diverse, it is mainly concentrated in Europe and East Asia. Availability in North America, South America and Africa is more limited in comparison.

“While our research shows us that the supply of biofuels is still relatively low, bunkering has taken place in quite a high number of ports,” says Sekkesæter. “Additionally, data from Singapore and Rotterdam – the two largest bunkering hubs – shows that biofuel consumption in shipping is growing quite quickly.”

Increasing biofuel sales in Singapore and Rotterdam

Total sales of bio-blended fuel in Singapore and Rotterdam increased from about 300,000 tonnes in 2021 to more than 1.6 million tonnes in 2024. The most common blend sold in Singapore has so far been B24 (meaning 24% biofuel by volume), while in Rotterdam it has been B30. In both cases, the biofuel blends primarily incorporate FAME and VLSFO (very low sulphur fuel oil).

Sales from these two ports were estimated to account for around half of all biofuel supply to shipping in 2023.

Demand for these blends is clearly on the rise, despite their additional cost to shipowners. “Both B24 and B30 have traded at a price premium of 30% to 60% relative to VLSFO since 2023,” says Sekkesæter.

Note: The full version of DNV’s Maritime Impact article on biofuels can be read here. 

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 7 April, 2025

Lloyd’s Register’s (LR) latest Fuel for Thought report, published on Tuesday (1 April), revealed that liquefied natural gas (LNG) remains the dominant alternative marine fuel readily available to the shipping industry.  

The report highlighted LNG’s growing adoption, its cost-effectiveness under tightening emissions regulations, and the urgent need to address methane slip to ensure its future as a viable low-carbon fuel. 

Fuel for Thought: LNG revealed a significant resurgence in orders for LNG-capable vessels, with an expanding global fleet and rapidly growing bunkering infrastructure. 

LR’s latest analysis confirmed LNG’s strong market position, with 1,381 dual-fuel vessels in service as of December 2024 and a further 849 on order—representing a 61% fleet expansion. Currently, 14% of all vessels on order will have LNG dual-fuel engines installed. 

The data confirmed LNG’s continued appeal, particularly in segments such as container shipping and car carriers, where its adoption is expanding rapidly: Clarkson Research predicts that the LNG-fuelled fleet (excluding gas carriers) will grow to represent around 24% of the merchant fleet by 2050. 

Economic analysis within the report indicated that with IMO mid-term measures within the projected boundaries, LNG remains the most cost-effective fuel choice for foreseeable transition pathways up to 2049.  LR’s modelling suggests that LNG-fuelled vessels could generate substantial compliance savings compared to ships running on very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), with additional benefits from regulatory mechanisms such as pooling. 

However, the report cautioned that LNG’s long-term sustainability depends on tackling methane slip — unburned methane emissions that reduce its overall GHG advantage.  

While LNG can provide immediate emissions reductions, its ability to meet stricter targets in the 2040s will depend on advances in cleaner LNG production, particularly through biomethane and synthetic e-LNG, as well as the development of onboard carbon capture technologies. 

Panos Mitrou, LR’s Global Gas Segment Director, said: “As regulations emerge that place a real financial impact on greenhouse gas emissions, ship operators are realising that LNG is one of few low carbon fuels to be available immediately, widely, with established safety protocols and at relatively predictable cost.  

“There are several opportunities to improve the long-term sustainability of LNG. These are already being addressed and the measures that are being worked on – from cleaner production and supply processes to bio-LNG and OCCS, through the uptake of onboard methane abatement technologies, as well as regulatory acceptance of these improvements – are likely to increase uptake of LNG even further.” 

Peter Keller, Chairman of SEA-LNG, who provided the foreword for the report, said: “SEA-LNG is proud to support this comprehensive report, Fuel for Thought: LNG, which delves into the multifaceted benefits and challenges of LNG as a marine fuel. This report provides valuable insights into the technological advancements, regulatory frameworks, and market trends that shape the future of LNG in the shipping industry.” 

The report also highlights specific examples of innovation, such as the use of high-manganese steel for LNG tanks, which has significantly reduced costs while maintaining cryogenic handling properties. This technology has been successfully implemented in vessels like the Advantage Tankers LLC’s VLCCs, demonstrating the increasing uptake of LNG across diverse vessel segments. 

Note: The full LR report can be found here.

Photo credit: Venti Views on Unsplash
Published: 2 April, 2025