PORT MARINE CIRCULAR NO. 12 OF 2023 DIGITAL BUNKERING

MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE

PORT MARINE CIRCULAR

NO. 12 OF 2023

27 October 2023

Bunker Suppliers / Bunker Craft Owners and Operators

Bunker Surveyors

Harbour Craft Community

Shipping Community

DIGITAL BUNKERING

This circular serve to inform the community that digital bunkering1 will

commence in the Port of Singapore from 1st November 2023.

2 From 1st November 2023, bunker suppliers can start issuing electronic bunker

delivery note (eBDN)2 and bunkering documentation required under the Singapore

Standard (SS 648 – Code of practice for bunker mass flow metering) through the digital

bunkering solutions whitelisted by MPA. Please refer to Annex A for a sample eBDN

issued in Singapore (for illustration purposes only).

3 MPA has whitelisted the digital bunkering solutions to ensure conformance to

bunkering standards, cybersecurity, baseline functionality, risk management and

regulatory reporting requirements. The list of whitelisted3 solutions is published on

MPA website (link) and will be progressively updated as new digital bunkering

solutions become available.

1 This involves the use of electronic bunkering processes and documentation, such as electronic bunker

delivery notes (e-BDNs) and automatic sharing of bunkering-related information with MPA.

2 MEPC 80, approved a Unified Interpretation (UI) to regulations 18.5 and 18.6 of MARPOL Annex VI

promulgated via MEPC.1/Circ.795/Rev.8. This makes clear that the Bunker Delivery Note (BDN)

required by regulation 18.5 is acceptable in either hard copy or electronic format provided it contains at

least the information specified in appendix V to MARPOL Annex VI and is retained and made available

on board in accordance with regulation 18.6. In addition, an electronic BDN should be protected from

edits, modifications or revisions and authentication be possible by a verification method such as a

tracking number, watermark, date and time stamp, QR code, GPS coordinates or other verification

methods.

3 MPA shall not be responsible or liable for any expenses, losses or damages incurred by, or action

taken against, the user(s) of whitelisted solution(s). Users, including bunker suppliers, bunker craft

operators, surveyors and bunker buyers, are required to conduct its own due diligence before adopting

any whitelisted solution(s).

4 MPA will require all bunkering operations in Singapore to go digital (i.e., use

electronic processes and documentation) after this initial period, which will be

announced at a later date. As such all MPA licenced bunker suppliers and craft

operators are strongly encouraged to adopt digital bunkering at the earliest possible,

for the familiarisation of the cargo officers and crew. Please see Annex B which

provides the guidelines for the use of digital bunkering service for the bunker supplier,

bunker craft operator and the vessel receiving bunkers.

5 The adoption of digital bunkering will increase efficiency of bunkering

operations in the Port of Singapore. The MPA will continue to explore and work with

the industry on other enhancements, including automating the data flow from Mass

Flow Meters.

6 Should you have any queries, please write to us at bsd@mpa.gov.sg or

digitalbunker@mpa.gov.sg.

CAPT DAKNASH GANASEN

SENIOR DIRECTOR (OPERATIONS & MARINE SERVICES)

for CHIEF EXECUTIVE

MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE

ANNEX A

SAMPLE ELECTRONIC BUNKER DELIVERY NOTE

 Security features include: (1) locked to protect from edits, (2) QR code for manual

verification, and (3) electronic verification via a verification facility.

 The eBDN also contains an attachment with machine readable/ interpretable data file,

conforming to standardised formats and semantics, to enable interoperability by

different IT systems.

ANNEX B

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR BUNKER SUPPLIERS & BUNKER CRAFT

OPERATORS

For a smooth and efficient transition into digital bunkering, bunker suppliers and

bunker craft operators should adopt the following measures:

I. Equip the barges with reliable internet connection on board, e.g.,

5G/4G/LTE antenna, Satcomm, etc. The barges may also share their

Wi-Fi hotspot with the receiving vessel if required.

II. Provide sufficient training for the cargo officer. i.e., usage of the

whitelisted digital bunkering solution(s) to complete the bunkering

workflow and documentation electronically.

III. Inform the customer, Master / Owner of the receiving vessel and

surveyor, if engaged, in advance on the issuance of bunkering

documentations electronically. This is to provide sufficient time for the

receiving vessel to access the domain/URL(s) and receive emails with

hyperlinks from whitelisted digital bunkering solution(s), and also

prepare their electronic vessel/ company stamp.

IV. A user manual should be prepared and provided to the crew of the vessel

receiving bunkers to explain the use of the digital platform smoothly.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR VESSELS RECEIVING BUNKER

The receiving vessel should adopt the following measures:

I. Corporate ICT Policy

a. Whitelist the domain/URL(s) and email sender to allow access to

the digital bunkering solution(s), and prepare the electronic vessel

stamp4 in advance for uploading.

b. Provide the Chief Engineer a device/computer with internet

access during the port stay in Singapore.

II. Infrastructure and network

a. Provide reliable network on-board, e.g., subscribe to satellite

communications packages with good max-info-rate and

committed-info-rate, backup satellite communications, 4G/5G

coastal plans, etc. Alternatively, the receiving vessel may also

4 The electronic vessel stamp can be prepared by capturing an image (scanned/ photograph) of the

stamp and uploading it onto the device/computer which the Chief Engineer would be using to access

the digital bunkering solution(s).

request to tap on Wi-Fi hotspot if available, from the bunker

barge’s representative or bunker surveyor (if engaged).

b. Carry out technology updates to ensure periodic refresh of IT

assets, equipment and infrastructure.

c. Ensure that the web browsers are up to date and security

patched.

d. IT system maintenance to be planned to minimise disruption of

transmission during the bunkering operation, as it could impact

smooth transmission of data and documents between the bunker

barge and the vessel receiving the bunkers.

III. Human factors

a. Brief the Chief Engineer/ ship’s crew on digital bunkering system

processes and issuance of bunkering documentations

electronically in Singapore.