Singapore’s First Simultaneous Methanol Bunkering and Cargo Operations (SIMOPS)

#Singapore is now ready for #methanol bunkering for container vessels at Tuas Port with the successful completion of the first simultaneous methanol bunkering and cargo operation (SIMOPS). This was made possible with the participation of various government agencies, industry and local research institutions.
 
A container vessel from X-Press Feeders was successfully refuelled with close to 300 metric tonnes (MT) of bio-methanol by Global Energy Trading Pte Ltd (GET), a #MPA-licensed bunker supplier, using MT KARA , a dedicated IMO type II chemical bunker tanker operated by Stellar Shipmanagement Services, which also bunkered the Stena Prosperous last week. The fuel was supplied simultaneously while the vessel completed the movement of containers. The cargo operations was carried out with the use of PSA Singapore‘a double trolley quay cranes and automated guided vehicles at #TuasPort. It was completed in four hours.
 
To prepare for the SIMOPS, MPA had organised various safety workshops, including a tabletop exercise, with participants from various government agencies, industry, and local research institutions, and discussed the potential risks and corresponding methods to address them. MPA’s Emergency Operations Centre was set up and monitored the operations, supported by a #drone equipped with similar detection capabilities as the bunkering operations last week.
 
The methanol plume model, jointly developed by the A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s Institute of High Performance Computing, Nanyang Technological University’s Maritime Energy & Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence (MESD), TCOMS - Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore and NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), was enhanced and incorporated specific SIMOPs parameters, including vessels’ structure, port configuration and infrastructure, and proximity of simultaneous activities being conducted.
 
The use of the mass flow metering (MFM) system for methanol, together with the use of digital #bunkering, was also trialled during the SIMOPS. The digital bunkering trial demonstrated the ability to transmit the essential methanol bunkering information electronically, to various stakeholders and MPA, enabling near real-time visibility of the bunker delivery process.
 
With these operations, the #PortofSingapore is ready for commercial scale operations for shore-to-ship, ship-to-ship, and simultaneous operations for methanol which is the preferred mode of operation as it enhances operational efficiency. This opens the door for future prospects for other new maritime fuels, such as #ammonia and #hydrogen, in our journey to towards decarbonising the maritime industry.

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