Singapore-based commodities and oil cargo trading firm NW Corporation Pte Ltd (NWC) has bolstered its marine refuelling capabilities at Port Klang, Malaysia through its subsidiary NW Energy Sdn Bhd (NWE). This expansion includes the acquisition of two bunker tankers, learns Manifold Times.

NWE took ownership of the 5,000-metric tonne (mt) capacity Fortune Glory and reintroduced the 4,200 mt capacity Abbie into the market after completing drydock maintenance, stated Jason Tan, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of NWC. These vessels are now operational, delivering High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HSFO) and Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) to vessels calling at Port Klang.

In August 2023, NWC launched its Singapore bunker trading desk and successfully completed its first physical bunker delivery using its asset Abbie at Port Klang in April 2024, marking a pivotal step in the company’s strategy to integrate trading and physical delivery services.

Strategic Focus on Port Klang

NWE holds a bunkering license permitting operations at Port Klang, Tanjong Pelepas, and Pasir Gudang. However, the company has chosen to concentrate on HSFO and VLSFO deliveries at Port Klang, aligning with the port’s demand dynamics.

“Our focus on Port Klang addresses a gap in the market, where most players have traditionally catered to the low-sulphur marine fuel segment,” explained Mr Tan. “This strategic move complements the existing ecosystem and enhances the value offerings at Malaysia’s largest port.”

Navigating Industry Challenges

Mr Tan highlighted the operational adjustments necessitated by evolving industry conditions, particularly in the trading sector.

“The oil trading industry has faced significant challenges due to tightened credit conditions following high-profile defaults in recent years,” he remarked. “Banks have recalibrated trading lines across the sector, affecting cargo trading operations.”

In response, NWC opted to diversify into maritime asset ownership and service provision, leveraging the growth potential of Port Klang. This transition aligns with the company’s long-term objectives of securing stability and expanding its service portfolio.

Future Plans and Collaboration Opportunities

Looking ahead, NWC aims to expand its fleet further solidifying its position as a reliable bunker supplier at Port Klang.

The company targets the acquisition of additional barges, each with a capacity of 6,000 to 7,000 mt, by end of 2025. Additionally, plans are underway to procure a smaller tanker, with a capacity of 500 to 1,000 mt, dedicated to delivering Marine Gas Oil (MGO).

“We are committed to supporting our clients with tailored solutions and welcome partnerships to enhance our operational footprint in the region,” added Mr Tan.

For enquiries related to HSFO and VLSFO deliveries at Port Klang, potential partners and clients can reach out to:

General Line: [email protected]

Photo credit: NW Corporation
Published: 10 March 2025

CBL International Limited (CBL), the listing vehicle of Banle Group (Banle), a marine fuel logistic company in the Asia-Pacific region, on Tuesday (21 January) announced that its Chairman and CEO, Mr. Teck Lim Chia, was recently featured in an exclusive interview on Nasdaq's Amplify Spotlight programme, in which he provides a company update and his vision for CBL’s sustainable fuels.

The Nasdaq Issuer Spotlight interview series explores how industry leaders are evolving and navigating challenges in various industries.

In a discussion with host Michael Spector, Mr. Chia delves into CBL's mission to provide comprehensive one-stop refuelling solutions across over 60 ports globally, with a strong commitment to sustainability. 

He highlights the company's significant growth since its founding in 2015, including its public listing on Nasdaq in 2023, and its expansion into new markets such as Europe, Africa, in addition to Asia Pacific. 

Mr. Chia also discusses the company's adoption of sustainable fuels like B24 biofuel, which led to a nearly 96% increase in its biofuel sales in 1H2024, aligning with global decarbonisation efforts.

Mr. Teck Lim Chia, Chairman and CEO of CBL International Limited, said: “It is a great honor to be featured on Nasdaq’s Amplify Issuer Spotlight. This opportunity underscores the remarkable growth and the significant strides CBL has made in the global bunkering industry.”

“As we continue to expand our footprint across new markets, our commitment to sustainability remains at the core of our operations. We are excited about the future of the bunkering industry and our role in driving the transition to more sustainable fuels, contributing to the global decarbonisation efforts.”

“At CBL, we are dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and environmentally responsible refuelling solutions, and this platform further enhances our mission towards a greener future.”

The full interview is now available through the image below:

Photo credit: Nasdaq
Published: 22 January, 2025

Rasmus Stute from DNV interviews Sameer Kalra, President of the Marine Division and Executive Vice President at Alfa Laval, on key industry trends including the company's innovative approach to the energy transition, emphasizing fuel-agnostic solutions, energy efficiency and close collaboration with third parties to meet future challenges:

We met recently at the SMM trade fair, always a really important date on the shipping calendar. What were your takeaways?

The first thing that stood out to me was that energy efficiency seems to be really high on the agenda, alongside LNG as an alternative fuel. Secondly, digitalization seems to be much more in focus than just a couple of years ago. This is why it is so great to come to these trade shows; you can hear what the industry’s talking about and it really helps to calibrate your own views.

At SMM, we launched our latest Maritime Forecast to 2050, which focuses on the building blocks needed for the energy transition in shipping. From Alfa Laval’s perspective how are you going to respond to the energy transition? Is this a significant challenge or something you’ve already anticipated?

The one thing that Alfa Laval is absolutely known for is being innovative from the beginning and that’s still part of the company’s DNA. So when we started working around decarbonization and the energy transition roughly five or six years ago, we took the position that as Alfa Laval we needed to put our money where our mouth was. And, instead of just telling others to decarbonize, we also set some goals for ourselves for 2030. Right now, we expect to meet our Scope 1 and 2 net zero targets ahead of schedule. (PS: After this interview took place, Alfa Laval announced an updated goal to achieve net zero in its own operations by 2027, covering Scope 1 and 2 emissions.) 

However, challenges remain, particularly supporting customers in areas outside our direct control, such as fuel choice. Shipowners have a tough challenge, finding a vessel design and choosing a fuel that is economically viable, commercially attractive and future-proof for the next 20–25 years. Recognizing this complexity early on, we positioned ourselves to support shipowners with versatile, future-ready solutions. In particular, one major initiative has been to ensure our product portfolio is fuel-agnostic. 

Additionally, we have prioritized the development of new platforms focused on energy efficiency. Another key step has been the acquisition of StormGeo, which, whilst unconventional for a company like Alfa Laval, aligns with our strategy to address the evolving energy efficiency and sustainability demands of the maritime industry. Ultimately, our commitment is to provide solutions that enable both immediate and long-term decarbonization goals.

You mentioned key elements like energy efficiency and fuel flexibility, and you have set up your company to address these challenges. Looking ahead to 2030, what do you envision will be your most important products to support customers with these trends?

It is challenging to be definitive about specific products, but we can identify trends. Our energy efficiency portfolio will play an increasingly important role, even more so than it does today. Transitioning to clean fuels will also grow in importance. If I were to highlight one area, it would be energy efficiency over the short term. 

Given the challenges in scaling up the supply of green methanol and ammonia by 2030, boosting energy efficiency becomes an essential, immediate necessity for the industry. At Alfa Laval, all three of our divisions – Marine, Energy, and Food and Water – will contribute to these efforts. In the near term, we will focus on enhancing energy efficiency in existing systems whilst introducing new, innovative energy efficiency platforms across our product portfolio to support our customers in navigating this energy transition.

I’ve a follow-up question on the energy transition. How do you feel about the role of carbon capture and storage in this process?

From our perspective, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is set to play an important role, particularly on the energy side. However, the role of onboard carbon capture specifically is less clear. These are two different challenges and we need to approach them with an open mind. For instance, it’s possible that LNG could be a transitional fuel that achieves a 20% reduction in emissions. If onboard carbon capture technology could add another 10–15% reduction on top of that, it might be a viable step forward. 

However, there are still many questions to address. We need to solve challenges related to the footprint of onboard carbon capture systems, as well as their cost-benefit ratios. These are critical factors that must be worked out before onboard carbon capture becomes a widespread solution. That said, I have confidence in the ingenuity of the maritime industry, and I am optimistic that we will find ways to overcome these challenges. 

And whilst there are still questions to answer, I firmly believe that carbon capture and storage, both on land and onboard, could make a significant contribution towards accelerating the energy transition.

Note: The full interview by DNV can be found here.

Photo credit: Venti Views on Unsplash
Published: 14 January, 2025