Singapore completes first simultaneous methanol bunkering and cargo operation

In Singapore, An X-Press Feeders container vessel on its maiden voyage from Asia to Europe was successfully refueled at Tuas Port with nearly 300 metric tonnes of bio-methanol from Global Energy Trading Pte Ltd (GET), at the same time containers were loading.  This was the first simultaneous methanol bunkering and cargo operation (known as SIMOPS) at the port. 

Refueling was performed by a Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)-licensed supplier, using MT KARA, an IMO type II chemical bunker tanker and was completed in four hours.

The methanol fuel, produced by OCI Global and supplied via GET, was delivered using a mass flow metering (MFM) system and digital bunkering technology. This initiative follows successful methanol bunkering operations for the Laura Maersk and Stena Prosperous.

MPA emphasized safety with a comprehensive Hazard Identification and Hazard and Operability Study workshop, ensuring all participants were trained in methanol handling. An Emergency Operations Centre monitored the operation, supported by advanced detection technology.

MPA’s Chief Executive, Mr. Teo Eng Dih, and leaders from X-Press Feeders, GET, and PSA highlighted the milestone’s significance in promoting methanol as a viable marine fuel and advancing Singapore’s position in the global maritime industry.

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