In mid-October 2023, the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) announced the launch of a digital bunkering initiative, to be implemented on 1 November 2023, replacing the use of physical documents for fuel oil deliveries. Under the initiative, fuel suppliers, ship owners, operators and crew will be encouraged to use mobile and cloud-based applications approved by the MPA to complete and issue bunkering documents, making Singapore the first port in the world to use electronic bunker fuel delivery notes.
This initiative comes after the extensive conducting of trials, with over 100 trials being conducted involving more than 20 companies since January 2023. Companies would make use of MPA-approved applications to transmit bunkering documents for pre-delivery and post-delivery, which would also automatically relay bunkering-related information required by the MPA, reducing compliance costs, improve productivity, streamline workflows and improve crew safety by eliminating the physical transfer of bunker documents between vessels. The MPA also announced that it would continue to refine the process as it aims to make digital bunkering notes mandatory by end-2024, with feedback being gathered from users to improve the MPA-approved applications, and new specifications being laid out for digital bunkering supply chain documentation.
(Source: Reuters)
