Asia/Pacific News
Singapore Aims for Better Quality Control With Updated Bunkering Standard
Tuesday July 26, 2022
Singapore's authorities have updated their technical standards for the city-state's bunkering industry, aiming in part for 'better quality control'.
The Singapore Standards Council, in collaboration with the industry and the Maritime and Port Authority, has updated its SS 524 standard on quality management for the bunker supply chain, the MPA said in a circular on Tuesday.
The updates makes the following changes, according to the circular:
- To review terms and definition and overall SS 524 content to align to SS 648 and other relevant standards
- To update procurement section that covers procurement process and verification of procured product to ensure better quality control
- To review non-conformity and corrective action section in relation to control of non-conforming products
- To align SS 524's structure of management system to new ISO Annex SL, which was published in 2020
Audits for licensed bunker suppliers in Singapore will be carried out under the new standards from April 1 of next year.
A bunker contamination crisis hit Singapore earlier this year in which as many as 200 vessels were reported to have taken on contaminated HSFO.
