Singapore LNG bunkering volumes rise in February

Preliminary bunkering data on MPA’s website shows LNG bunkering sales in the world’s largest bunkering port reached 30,028 mt last month.

The data shows that this marks an 11.7 percent rise compared to 26,883 mt in February 2024.

MPA said last month that LNG bunkering volumes reached 6,594 mt in January, down 36.7 percent year-on-year.

However, MPA amended the data and the new data shows that LNG bunkering volumes were at 32,802 mt in January, significantly more than the previous estimate.

Last year, LNG bunkering volumes surged 318.5 percent to 463,948 mt.

This compares to 110,850 mt in 2023 when LNG bunkering sales jumped compared to 16,300 mt in 2022 and 49,190 mt in 2021.

LNG bunkering volumes in Singapore increased due to new bunkering vessels working in the Singapore port, the growth of the global fleet of LNG-powered vessels, and lower LNG fuel prices.

In addition, MPA is currently looking for ways to scale up use of LNG as a marine fuel in the Port of Singapore.

In December, it launched an expression of interest (EOI) to invite interested parties to submit a proposal(s) that would allow MPA to better understand the potential for scaling up of sea-based reloading of LNG for use as a marine fuel.

Singapore currently hosts three LNG bunkering vessels which provide ship-to-ship fueling operations.

The 7,500-cbm FueLNG Bellina, owned by a joint venture consisting of Shell and Seatrium, is Singapore’s first LNG bunkering vessel. It started operations in 2021.

Besides this vessel, the 18,000-cbm FueLNG Venosa completed its first LNG bunkering operation last year.

This is FueLNG’s second bunkering vessel and the JV charters it from Korea Line LNG, a unit of SM Group’s Korea Line.

In addition to these two vessels, Singapore’s Pavilion Energy, which will become a part of Shell, completed the first bunkering operation with MOL’s LNG bunkering vessel, Brassavola, in February last year.

The 12,000-cbm vessel is on charter to Pavilion LNG Bunker I, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pavilion.

Since receiving a license from MPA in 2016, both FueLNG and Pavilion have completed hundreds of truck-to-ship LNG bunkering operations in Singapore.

TotalEnergies Marine Fuels, a unit of France’s TotalEnergies, is also among three licensed suppliers of LNG bunkering fuels in the port. Under a long-term agreement with Pavilion, Brassavola will supply its customers.

Last month, the unit of TotalEnergies has completed what it says is Asia Pacific’s first LNG bunkering for cruise passenger ships using Brassavola.