Singapore is looking to add liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker suppliers amid increasing demand for the cleaner burning marine fuel in the world's top shipping hub.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Wednesday launched a request for proposal (RFP) for parties seeking to supply LNG fuel to ships in the Port of Singapore.
The city state’s annual LNG bunkering capacity is expected to hit 1 million tonnes by 2021, as shipping companies continue to turn toward cleaner fuels to meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) target to halve the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 from 2008 levels.
MPA said it will issue up to two new LNG bunker supplier licenses. These would be in addition to the two LNG bunker suppliers currently licensed in the port: FueLNG Pte Ltd and Pavilion Energy Singapore Pte Ltd.
Singapore, the world’s largest marine refueling hub with annual sales volumes of about 50 million tonnes of bunkers, is the only port globally that implements a licensing regime for bunkering suppliers and craft operators.
Proposals are due by December 15 and must contain an end-to-end LNG bunkering solution, which should include details about its LNG supply and delivery model, its LNG sources and its marketing plan for the sale of LNG bunker, MPA said.
MPA said it will aim to announce the award of new LNG bunker supplier licenses, if any, by February 2021.
In addition to LNG, Singapore is also planning to invest in the search for cleaner alternative fuels.