Singapore’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering sales reached a new record in May, according to Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority.
Bunkering data posted on MPA’s website shows that LNG bunkering sales in the world’s largest bunkering port reached 48,752 mt in May this year.
This compares to 7,060 mt in May 2023 and 35,552 mt in April this year.
LNG bunkering sales in January this year reached 10,420 mt, in February 26,883 mt, and 38,618 mt in March, which was previously the highest monthly volume.
During January-May, LNG bunkering volumes reached 160,225 mt, 44.5 percent more compared to 110,850 mt during the entire last year when LNG bunkering sales jumped compared to 16,300 mt in 2023 and 49,190 mt in 2022.
Three vessels
The surge in the bunkering volumes can be attributed to new bunkering vessels working in the Singapore port as well as the growth of the global fleet of LNG-powered vessels and lower LNG fuel prices.
DNV ‘s latest data shows that there are 547 LNG-powered ships in operation and 505 LNG-fueled vessels on order.
These statistics do not include smaller inland vessels or dual-fuel LNG carriers.
In March, Singapore’s FueLNG, a joint venture consisting of Shell and Seatrium, completed its 150th ship-to-ship (STS) LNG bunkering operation.
FueLNG Bellina is Singapore’s first LNG bunkering vessel and it wrapped up its first operation with a CMA CGM container vessel in March 2021.
In June last year, the 18,000-cbm FueLNG Venosa completed its first LNG bunkering operation to the 210,000-dwt bulk carrier, Mount Tai.
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, a unit of Temasek, completed in February this year the first bunkering operation with MOL’s LNG bunkering vessel, Brassavola.
The newbuild is on charter to Pavilion LNG Bunker I, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pavilion, and it has a capacity of 12,000-cbm.
Both FueLNG and Pavilion have completed hundreds of truck-to-ship LNG bunkering operations in Singapore since they received a license from MPA in 2016.
TotalEnergies Marine Fuels, a unit of France’s TotalEnergies, is also among three licensed suppliers of LNG bunkering fuels in the port and will use Brassavola to supply its customers under a long-term agreement with Pavilion.