In a bid to prepare the industry for the upcoming 0.5% global sulphur limit, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said it will publish an information sheet on the list of licensed bunker suppliers of low-sulphur fuels in Singapore by mid-2019. The information sheet will be made available online.
The IMO sulphur cap to enter into force on 1 January 2020 mandates that ships will run on fuel containing no more than 0,5% sulphur, from the current 3,5%.
In response, several bunker suppliers and oil majors including Shell, ExxonMobil and BP have also affirmed their readiness to supply 0.5% compliant fuels by 1 January 2020.
The remark was made on the occasion of MPA’s two-day Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition (SIBCON) themed “Fueling Sustainable Shipping”.
In his opening address, Senior Minister of State, Dr Lam Pin Min, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Health announced initiatives by MPA to ready the Singapore bunker industry ahead of the IMO sulphur cap and to support R&D in alternative fuels, as well as digitalisation.
As such, MPA will also form a new work group with the industry to embark on an industry road mapping exercise to prepare the Singapore bunker industry for the future. Chaired by MPA, the work group will develop a roadmap that will include drivers such as digitalisation and innovation, and transparency and productivity in the sector. The work group will work towards completing the roadmap by fourth quarter of 2019.
In 2014, MPA formed an international focus group to deepen cooperation and information sharing on LNG bunkering. Since then, the LNG bunkering port focus group has grown from three to 11 participants.
To add greater impetus towards making LNG bunkering a reality, the MPA also welcomed the Suez Canal Economic Zone Authority, the first member from Middle East, into the focus group. The expansion was formalised via an MoU signing during the SIBCON opening ceremony.
The addition of Suez Canal Economic Zone Authority will strengthen efforts towards building a global network of LNG bunker ready ports.
Beyond the use of LNG as a marine fuel in the Port of Singapore, the MPA has allocated S$5 million to the Green Energy Programme (GEP) to support the development of other cleaner alternative marine fuels. Companies can tap on the fund to carry out various activities including the conduct of research and development for cleaner marine fuel solutions in Singapore.
