Singapore Developing Standards for Biofuel Bunkering

by Marcus Hand (Seatrade Maritime News) The world’s largest bunkering port is developing standards for the bunkering of biofuels both for quality and quantity. -- Speaking at the opening of the Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition (Sibcon) on Wednesday, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport, Chee Hong Tat said: “Singapore is preparing ourselves to bunker biofuels for oceangoing ships. Approximately 70,000 tonnes of biofuels have been supplied in Singapore across 40 biofuel bunkering operations using existing bunker tankers.”

At present there is not international standard for the quality of biofuel bunkers and Singapore has developed a provisional national quality standard for marine biofuel to support the development of biofuel bunkering. The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) also developed a framework setting out conditions under which licensed bunker suppliers may supply biofuel within the Port of Singapore to support trials conducted by vessels.

“We’ve observed that Mass Flow Meters are able to accurately handle biofuels,” Minister Chee said. “The technical committee for bunkering will continue to study the impact of biofuel on the metrological accuracy of the installed MFMs and work towards the inclusion of biofuels within Code of Practice for Bunker Mass Flow Metering or SS 648: 2019.” READ MORE

Excerpt from The Straits Times: As LNG is better than the traditional bunker fuel, the approach Singapore is taking is not to "let perfect be the enemy of good", and to still explore and do research on other fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia and methanol, even though they are not quite commercially feasible at this stage, he (Mr Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Transport) said.

He added that LNG has the potential to achieve even greater reduction in emissions through bio-LNG or synthetic LNG, noting that SEA-LNG - a multi-sector industry coalition established to demonstrate LNG'S beneﬁts as a viable marine fuel - and Singapore's Maritime Energy and Sustainable Development Centre will be launching its study and findings during the conference.

As part of a trial, he said harbour craft in operation within the Republic's port are using biofuels for bunkers. READ MORE

Excerpt from The Straits Times: The framework stating conditions for the supply of biofuels for licensed bunker suppliers was put in place to support trials conducted by vessels, Chee said. ...

The conditions for biofuel supply include a requirement for licensed bunker suppliers to ensure that the mass flow meter (MFM) installed on a bunker craft is intended for biofuel measurement with a measurement uncertainty at not more than 0.5pc, as well as a restriction against blending on board a bunker craft within the port of Singapore, according to the MPA.

The framework comes after the MPA at the start of 2017 required bunker fuels within the country's waters to be delivered using MFMs, which are designed to give more accurate readings of the volumes transferred from sellers to buyers.

Singapore will focus on full electrification and use of biofuels for local harbour craft in port waters In order to reach net zero emissions by 2050. A compatibility study on various biofuel types and percentage blends for harbour craft is currently under way, with findings expected later this year, Chee said. READ MORE