Singapore, March 25 (IANS) Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) is inviting applications for methanol bunker supplier licenses at the Port of Singapore, aiming to establish a full-scale methanol supply model, Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor announced on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Accelerating Digitalization and Decarbonization Conference, part of Singapore Maritime Week, Khor said the move responds to growing interest from shipowners in using methanol as a marine fuel.
Alongside the recently published Technical Reference for Methanol Bunkering and Standards for the Port Limit Methanol Bunker Tankers, this initiative aims to ensure a standardized and safe approach to methanol adoption in shipping, she added.
Khor also introduced a new Technical Reference standard to support charging infrastructure and battery swap systems for electric harbourcraft, part of Singapore’s broader push toward sustainable maritime operations.
Despite global uncertainties affecting climate commitments and the high costs of key decarbonization solutions, Khor said that reducing emissions should be seen as a competitive advantage rather than an additional expense.
Singapore has been actively advancing low- and zero-carbon fuels, she said. For instance, authorities have been using virtual simulations to assess the safety and environmental impact of ammonia bunkering operations, a method also applied to other alternative fuels like LNG and methanol.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) also announced trial of new drone capabilities in 2025, including coordinated drone operations to help contain toxic and flammable fumes during chemical spills at sea, Khor announced on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Singapore Maritime Week, Khor also highlighted plans to expand drone services in the Port of Singapore. The Maritime Drone Estate, launched in 2021 as a testbed for maritime applications, will now support commercial services such as remote inspections and shore-to-ship deliveries.
To strengthen the workforce, the MPA will collaborate with Singapore’s Republic Polytechnic on training unmanned aircraft pilots and sharing best practices in drone operations.
Khor noted that digitalization, including artificial intelligence, is transforming port operations, vessel management, and maritime services, Xinhua news agency reported. However, greater reliance on interconnected systems also brings cybersecurity challenges. To address this, Singapore is accelerating the adoption of global digital standards for secure data exchange between vessels, ports, and shore service providers.
Singapore will also become the world’s first port to fully implement digital bunkering starting April 1. Bunker suppliers will be required to provide digital bunkering services and issue electronic bunker delivery notes, which users can verify through a new common verification facility launched by the MPA on the same day.
–IANS
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