Supply of Biofuel within the Port of Singapore to Vessels

MPA has developed a framework to allow licensed bunker suppliers to supply biofuel within the Port of Singapore to vessels provided that the conditions of the framework are adhered to. It does not endorse any particular methodology to account for carbon reduction. These conditions are appended below.

For the supply of biofuel to support trials or/and permanent usage on vessels, the bunker supplier is encouraged to supply International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) certified biofuel.

Quality of Biofuel

All biofuels supplied in the Port of Singapore shall meet ISO 8217 standards. The latest edition of ISO 8217:2024 includes requirements for unrestricted blends of distillate and residual fuel oils with fatty acid methyl ester(s) and paraffinic diesel fuel. MPA, through the Singapore Standards Council, has also developed a provisional standard on specifications of marine biofuel (WA 2:2022) to supplement the international standards.

Bunker suppliers, bunker craft operators, bunker surveyors, shipowners, buyers and fuel oil testing laboratories are required to make use of this standard (WA 2:2022). Singapore Standards are available at this link. 

Conditions to supply Biofuel within the Port of Singapore

  1. In accordance with MSC-MEPC.2/Circ.17, the carriage requirements for biofuel1 blends2 are assigned based on their volumetric composition, as follows:

    1. When the biofuel blend contains ≥70% of a MARPOL Annex I cargo, it is subject to MARPOL Annex I3;

    2. Biofuel blends containing >1% but <70% of a MARPOL Annex I cargo are subject to MARPOL Annex II, with the carriage requirements set out in chapter 17 of the IBC Code4;

    3. Biofuels blended with ≤1% of a MARPOL Annex I cargo are not considered as blends and are therefore to be shipped in accordance with MARPOL Annex II, under the appropriate product entry in the IBC Code4;

  2. The bunker supplier5 shall ensure that the mass flow meter (MFM) installed on the bunker craft is intended for the measurement of biofuel as supported by the MFM vendor with the uncertainty of measurement at not more than 0.5%;

  3. The biofuel supplied shall meet the density and kinematic viscosity specification requirements stated within the MFM approval letter issued by MPA for the bunker craft;

  4. The bunker supplier shall also ensure that Standards and Investigation – Marine Fuel (SIMF) Department, MPA, is informed of the biofuel bunker delivery. The monthly statement on all bunker supplies made by the bunker supplier shall include the bunker supply of biofuel (according to the fuel type and grade of the biofuel, e.g. Bio-HSFO180, Bio-VLSFO380, Bio-ULSMGO). The bunker supplier shall declare the biofuel delivery in digitalPORT@SG, in the event submission via digitalBunker@SG API is unsuccessful;

  5. The specifications and delivery terms of biofuel as bunker fuel should be sufficiently covered in the commercial agreement and agreed between bunker supplier and bunker buyer;

  6. No blending shall be carried out on board the bunker craft within the Port of Singapore;

  7. The Certificate of Quality (COQ) shall be issued by the loading facility only and made available prior to the delivery of the biofuel in Singapore. Specifications shall comply with the specifications of ISO 8217:2024, with the exception of Kinematic Viscosity, which may be in accordance with the mutually agreed contractual agreement;

  8. All loading operations shall be carried out in accordance with all applicable statutory and port/ coastal State requirements (e.g. MSC-MEPC.2/Circ.17 – 2019 Guidelines for the Carriage of Blends of Biofuels and MARPOL Annex I Cargoes);

  9. The biofuel blend6 shall also be tested for FAME and comply to the requirements of PMC No. 3 of 2024, the results shall be incorporated within the COQ; 

  10. The product name of the biofuel product supplied should be filled accordingly in the BDN (e.g. VLSFO RMG 380 B20);

  11. The bunker supplier shall maintain records to all relevant documentations; and

  12. For the supply of biofuels above B30 or biofuels not listed in chapters 17 and 18 of the IBC code or the MEPC.2/Circ.27 (Annex 11), the bunker supplier shall also confirm that Master/ owners of the receiving vessel has received the necessary exemption7 from the relevant flag Administration on the use of Biofuel, prior to the delivery. The supplier shall send the COQ to SIMF Department  minimally one day prior to the biofuel bunker delivery. Any additional information on the biofuel shall be provided to MPA upon request.

Range of Biofuels available at the Port of Singapore

The Port of Singapore provides a wide range of biofuels for vessels, from lower blends to higher blends (up to B100). Relevant stakeholders are to take note of the requirements on the use of different range of biofuels on ships. Please contact the suppliers directly on the range of available biofuels via this link Bunkering Service Providers | Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

Requirements for vessels to use biofuel onboard

Type of Biofuel Approval Requirements
Biofuel blends B30* and below (≤ B30) (For Singapore Registered Ships)
 
*Not listed in chapters 17 and 18 of the IBC code or MEPC.2/Circ.27 (Annex 11).
For Trial:
To inform MPA Flag State Control (FSC) to conduct trials using fuel oil which is a blend of ≤ B30 by volume of biofuels.

For Permanent Usage:
After satisfactorily completion of biofuel trials, company to submit through Class to seek MPA FSC’s approval for the vessel to permanently use fuel oil which is blend of ≤ B30 by volume of biofuels.
Biofuel blends above B30 (> B30) (For Singapore Registered Ships)
For Trial:
Company to apply through Class to seek MPA FSC’s approval on the exemption to conduct trials using fuel oil which is a blend of > B30 by volume of biofuels.

For Permanent Usage:
After satisfactorily completion of biofuel trials, company to submit through Class to seek MPA FSC’s approval for the vessel to permanently use fuel oil which is blend of > B30 by volume of biofuels.
Any biofuel blends (For Non-Singapore Registered Ships) While no special requirements or approval is required from MPA Port State Control (PSC), the MPA licensed bunker supplier that is being engaged to supply the biofuel is to ensure compliance to the requirements set by the MPA.

For the supply of marine biofuels above B30 or biofuels not listed in chapters 17 and 18 of the IBC code or the MEPC.2/Circ.27 (Annex 11), bunker supplier shall confirm that Master/ owners of the receiving vessel has received the necessary exemption7 from the relevant flag Administration, prior to the biofuel delivery.

 

1 Biofuels are ethyl alcohol, fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) and vegetable oils (triglycerides), as identified in chapters 17 and 18 of the IBC Code or the MEPC.2/Circ.27 (Annex 11).

2 Biofuel blends are mixtures resulting from the blending of those biofuels identified in footnote 1 with a MARPOL Annex I cargo.

3 When carrying biofuel blends as described in paragraph 4.1.1, Oil Discharge Monitoring Equipment (ODME type-approved – see resolution MEPC.108(49), as amended shall be in compliance with regulation 31 of MARPOL Annex I and approved for the mixture being transported. When considering the deck fire-fighting system requirements of SOLAS chapter II-2, regulations 1.6.1 and 1.6.2, when carrying biofuel blends containing more than 5% ethyl alcohol, then alcohol resistant foams should be used.

4 Flag Administration approval may not be required if the vessel is surveyed and certified in compliance with IBC Code and MARPOL Annex II and has the biofuel blend listed in the vessel’s Certificate of Fitness (CoF) in accordance with the carriage requirements in the IBC Code.

5 The company with a valid bunker supplier licence which contractually agrees with the buyer to deliver the product and issues the BDN.

6 Refer to footnote 2

 7 MARPOL Annex VI Reg. 3.2