B30 Marine Fuel Tanker Transport OKd in Singapore

Licensed bunker tankers operating in the Singapore port will be allowed to carry and deliver up to 30% blended marine biofuel (B30) from Friday, a circular from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) showed.

Conventional tankers were previously allowed to carry a maximum of 24% blended biofuel.

The move was in line with an update to the latest requirements for carriage of biofuel blends by the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), the MPA circular said.

However, bunker suppliers and craft operators will still be required to seek approval from the MPA's Standards and Investigation Marine Fuels (SIMF) department to supply biofuels with blends higher than 30%.

Bunker deliveries of marine biofuel have increased at key bunker hubs like Singapore and Rotterdam over the last few years, as shipowners find ways to cut emissions by refuelling with cleaner alternatives.