Singapore unveils new initiatives to boost bunkering industry

MPA committed $12m for LNG-fuelled vessels.

As part of Singapore’s continued efforts to enhance bunkering processes and prepare the bunkering industry to meet future demands, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Wednesday announced new initiatives.

Amongst which is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed yesterday with Singapore LNG Corporation Pte Ltd to collaborate on an interim truck loading facility, which will be used to service LNG bunkering. The facility will also be used to serve a variety of other industries that may require small volumes of LNG to be transported over land.

MPA has committed up to approximately S$2 million to co-fund the development of this facility, which will be operationally ready by early 2017.

MPA is working with SPRING Singapore to develop the Technical Reference (TR) for Singapore’s LNG bunkering standards. This TR will be launched in early 2017, providing a reliable and transparent framework for LNG bunkering operations.

MPA also allocated S$12 million for the co-funding programme for LNG-fuelled vessels, a total of S$8 million has been awarded to Harley Marine Asia Pte Ltd, Keppel Smit Towage Pte Ltd and Maju Maritime Pte Ltd. The types of vessels that will be built include tugboats and bunker tankers.

To encourage the uptake of LNG bunker by local harbour craft, MPA will waive five years of port dues for new LNG-fuelled harbour craft that register with MPA between 1 October 2017 and 31 December 2019. To complement this effort, MPA will also grant an additional 10% port dues concession for the Green Port Programme qualifying vessels that engage LNG-fuelled harbour craft for their port operations.