| MPA Introduces 3 New Initiatives to Enhance Singapore's Bunkering Services (28th September 2002) The following 3 new initiatives were announced by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) at 12th Singapore International Bunkering Conference (SIBCON) on 27th September 2002 1. Accreditation Scheme for Bunker Suppliers In an effort to promote reliable bunkering services and to safeguard the integrity of the bunker trade in Singapore, MPA will introduce an accreditation scheme for bunker suppliers in June 2003, after which bunker suppliers are given two years to attain the accreditation qualification or lose their bunkering licence. To be accredited, suppliers will need to have a paid-up capital of S$200,000 and the need to put in place a Bunker Supply Chain Management System to cover the entire process of bunker supply from product procurement to bunker delivery. MPA and the Singapore Shipping Association will develop a set of Key Performance Indicators where suppliers performance will be benchmarked. 2. Custody Transfer Samples Required from Oil & Storage Terminals The MPA has extended Custody Transfer Sampling to tighten the sequence and actions concerning the entire bunker supply chain to safeguard bunker buyers’ interests and ensure the quality of bunkers supplied. This new procedure requires bunker craft to collect and retain ‘custody transfer samples’ of oil loaded from oil and storage terminals which are currently not a requirement. The new sampling requirement will also apply for bunker tankers that receive bunkers as cargo from other bunker tankers i.e. ‘ship-to-ship’ transfers of bunkers. If any quality dispute or problem concerning the bunker fuel arises, the retained samples could be tested, thus enabling the supplier to prove his integrity. 3. Intensifying Checks on Tankers carrying De-Bunkered Fuel MPA will be intensifying bunker quality checks on bunker tankers carrying ‘de-bunkered’ fuel that is loaded from any vessels in the Singapore port and/or from vessels anchored outside the port. During the MPA’s checks, bunker suppliers must show documentary proof that the fuel oil received by them meets the ISO 8217 standard. The new move will ensure that the fuel oil meets the MPA’s requirements and standards before it is re-supplied as bunker fuel to ships in the Singapore port. Other Bunker News:
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