Asia/Pacific News
SIBCON22: Singapore Develops Biofuel Bunker Quality Standard
The authorities in Singapore, the world's largest bunkering hub, have developed a quality standard for biofuel bunker blends in an effort to support the shipping industry as it takes on these alternative fuels.
The new standard, WA 2:2022, was announced as part of the Sibcon industry event in Singapore on Wednesday.
"MPA, in consultation with relevant industry experts, has developed a provisional national standard on specifications of marine biofuel," the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said in a circular on Wednesday.
"This national standard has been developed under the purview of the Chemical Standards Committee (CSC), a committee under the Singapore Standards Council.
"Bunker suppliers, bunker craft operators, bunker surveyors, shipowners, buyers, fuel oil testing laboratories are encouraged to make use of this standard."
The MPA also encouraged the market to buy biofuels certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISSC).
A market source told Ship & Bunker that a concern that the ISO would take some time to develop such a specification may have prompted the move.
"In the interim, we have worked with industry, academia and other agencies to develop a national standard on the specifications of marine biofuels, which will be useful to bunker suppliers and buyers," Chee Hong Tat, Singapore's senior minister of state for finance and transport, said in the opening address at Sibcon on Wednesday.
"Standards may sound like a very technical, maybe sometimes rather boring area, but they are actually very important because they provide a common reference point that is accepted by all parties, and then that gives confidence when we transact.
"These are not things which are sometimes paid a lot of attention to, but they are actually very important.
"They are like the foundations of a building; you don't see them, but without the foundations, the building cannot be built."
To purchase the full set of standards, contact details are as follows:
TOPPAN LEEFUNG PTE. LTD
1 KIM SENG PROMENADE, #18-01 GREAT WORLD CITY EAST TOWER
SINGAPORE 237994
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Email: singaporestandardseshop@toppanleefung.com
Website: www.singaporestandardseshop.sg
