Singapore Bunker Fuel Sales Hit Record High in 2024

Sales of alternative bunker fuels exceeded one million tonnes for the first time to reach 1.34 million tonnes in 2024, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has revealed.

What is more, total bunker sales registered a new high of 54.92 million tonnes, marking a 6% year-on-year increase.

As explained, the increased uptake was partly due to the extended Asia-Europe shipping routes via the Cape of Good Hope given the disruptions in the Red Sea.

“Singapore made steady progress as the world’s largest bunkering port, supplying over a sixth of the total fuel used by global shipping,” MPA highlighted.

Specifically, the sale of biofuel blends grew from 0.52 million tonnes in 2023 to 0.88 million tonnes. Biofuel blends of up to B50 are available commercially with trials of up to B100 ongoing.

LNG increased from 0.11 million tonnes in 2023 to 0.46 million tonnes in 2024.

An Expression of Interest was launched in December 2024 to explore scalable solutions for sea-based LNG reloading to complement the existing onshore LNG bunkering storage and jetty capacities and support the supply of e-/bio methane as marine fuel in Singapore.

Methanol was available on a commercial scale and registered 1,626 tonnes, while 9.74 tonnes of ammonia was bunkered for the first time globally in trials in the Port of Singapore.

In March 2024, Fortescue, with support from MPA, conducted the “world’s first” use of ammonia, in combination with diesel, as marine fuel onboard the Singapore-flagged ammonia-powered vessel Fortescue Green Pioneer.

To support the operationalization of ammonia bunkering, EnterpriseSG and MPA will develop the Singapore standards for ammonia bunkering by 2025. The lead developer for a low- or zero-carbon ammonia power generation and bunkering solution on Jurong Island under the Request for Proposal launched by MPA and the Energy Market Authority of Singapore is expected to be announced in 2025.

MPA also worked with its counterparts to develop the interim guidelines for the use of ammonia as fuel, which was adopted by the IMO at the Maritime Safety Committee during its 109th session in December 2024.

The first simultaneous methanol bunkering and cargo operations (SIMOPS) was conducted in May 2024 at the Tuas Port. The use of the mass flow metering (MFM) system for methanol, together with the use of digital bunkering, was also trialled during the SIMOPS. MPA is currently developing the Technical Reference for methanol bunkering, which will cover safety procedures, crew competencies, custody transfer requirements, and the framework to govern the use of the MFM and digital documentation records for methanol bunkering.

MPA also shared that 29 Singapore-flagged ships from 12 companies received Green Ship Certificates under the Green Ship Programme last year.

In April 2024, Eastern Pacific Shipping signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with MPA committing several of its ammonia dual-fuel newbuilds to be registered under the SRS upon delivery.

More such vessels using new fuels are expected to use Singapore as the flag of choice in the coming years.