Singing a Song in Singapore: GoodFuels Marine, BHP, and MPA Collaborate on Biofuels during Closed-Door Roundtable
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Singapore, a closed-door biofuel roundtable organized by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, BHP and GoodFuels Marine, brought some excitement to the maritime biofuels world – almost as much excitement as when we first saw Monty Python’s the Knights of the Roundtable song and dance.
While we didn’t hear about any dancing or singing at the roundtable, it was thrilling nonetheless with a meeting in one of the world’s largest shipping hubs that brought together shipowners and others in maritime to network, share insights into the use of biofuels to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations, and explore areas of collaboration.
And collaborate they did! One of the roundtable results was a signed Letter of Intent by MPA, BHP and GoodFuels to collaborate on a biofuels pilot project in Singapore, which is expected to be carried out early next year.
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The Nanyang Technological University soon to be established center of excellence focusing on maritime environment and energy, with support from MPA and the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI), was also present to seek collaborative partnerships with shipowners to deepen Singapore’s capabilities on the maritime environment and bio-energy front.
Several other shipowner companies were at the roundtable as well, including Berge Bulk, Boskalis, Oldendorff, Mitsui OSK Lines and NYK Bulkship.
The pilot project
While other shipowners may get involved, BHP, an Australian-based extractor and processor of minerals, oil and gas which has marketing and sales based in Singapore, will be the first to get their vessel refueled or bunkered in Singapore as part of the pilot project.
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The pilot project will be implemented in early 2018 so that biofuels would be available in the port of Singapore. The feedstock for the pilot project will be used cooking oil (UCO) and project completion is not confirmed yet as it will depend on the delivery frequency and volumes, according to a Digest interview with Isabel Welten, GoodFuels’ Business Development Manager Marine.
Welten also confirmed with the Digest that the long-term plan is to get the project to commercialization and is the reason why MPA is involved. “The pilot will serve as a means for the shipowner(s) to get acquainted with biofuels,” Welten told the Digest. “Based on the market demand, we aim to get some local incentives in place.” READ MORE
Multinationals ink letter of intent to collaborate on biofuels pilot project backed by Singapore port agency (Strait Times)
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