Asia/Pacific News
SIBCON22: MPA's Digital Bunkering Revolution Starts Next Year
The first phase of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's move to digitalise the bunker industry is set to be rolled out at the start of next year.
Thomas Ting, chief technology officer at the MPA, set out the authority's plans for digitalisation in a presentation at the Sibcon industry event in Singapore on Tuesday.
The total implementation of digitalisation could save Singapore's bunker industry more than 39,000 man-days per year, Ting said.
The MPA is currently involved in a range of trials of digital systems which are set to be completed by the end of this year. If those trials prove successful, the first phase of digitalisation will be rolled out to Singapore's bunker industry in the first quarter of next year.
The first phase will involve the following elements of data sent from the receiving vessel to the MPA, according to Ting's presentation:
- Bunker delivery note
- B2G data fields
- Bunker requisition form
- MFM system seals checklist
- Meter reading record form (delivery)
- Survey time log
- Bunkering pre-delivery safety checklist
- Meter totaliser log
- Note of protest
The second phase, planned from the first quarter of 2024, will involve a next-generation data logger being installed on bunker barges sending MFM and BDN data automatically.
The timeline for the digitalisation rollout becoming mandatory has yet to be decided, Ting said, with the system expected to become mandatory 'at appropriate milestones'.
The MPA estimates the CAPEX cost of compliance will be around $20,000-30,000 per barge. The MPA plans to support operators with this cost, Ting told Ship & Bunker at the industry event.
"The baseline we're looking at is 50% co-funding support," he said.
Ting also shared an example of what the MPA's electronic BDN may look like.
"If we work on the digital solutions and processes, I believe we can also work on our challenge of attracting a younger workforce and maintaining talent," Ting said in his presentation.
