Marine bunker trading, brokerage & supply coordination · Port of Singapore
Bunker supply
Marine fuel sourced from MPA-licensed physical suppliers and coordinated from enquiry to bunker delivery note, at anchorage, terminal or berth.
Bunker supply in Singapore means buying marine fuel for delivery to a vessel in the Port of Singapore by an MPA-licensed bunker supplier, using a licensed bunker tanker, with quantity measured by mass flow meter and documented on an electronic bunker delivery note. SingaporeBunker.com sources, negotiates and coordinates that supply for shipowners, charterers and operators.
Singapore handles more bunker volume than any other port, with deliveries at the anchorages, at terminals and at berths across the port. For a buyer that depth is an advantage: most conventional grades can be sourced from several licensed suppliers on most days. It also means the commercial outcome depends heavily on how the enquiry is put to market, how offers are compared and how the delivery is managed once the stem is confirmed.
We handle the commercial and coordination side of the transaction. The physical delivery is always performed by a bunker supplier and bunker craft operator licensed by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). We identify suitable suppliers for the vessel, the grade and the timing, present comparable offers, and stay involved until the bunker delivery note is signed and any follow-up is closed.
Regulatory framework
The MPA requires every bunker supplier, bunker craft operator, bunker surveyor and bunker surveying company operating in the Port of Singapore to be licensed. A bunker supplier licence is needed to supply bunkers using the supplier’s own delivery documents, and new supplier licensees commit to holding both supplier and bunker craft operator licences. Licensed suppliers must maintain a certified Quality Management System for the Bunker Supply Chain under SS 524, covering the chain of custody from product procurement to delivery.
Singapore was the first port to make mass flow metering mandatory, starting with fuel oil in 2017. Since 1 May 2020 the MPA has required custody transfer of bunkers to ocean-going vessels to follow SS 648:2019, the Code of Practice for Bunker Mass Flow Metering, which replaced Technical Reference TR 48. The Coriolis mass flow meter on the bunker tanker measures the quantity delivered directly in mass. Tank gauging procedures are covered by SS 600:2022. From 1 April 2025 the MPA reduced mass flow meter verification checks from twice to once a year.
The MPA launched digital bunkering on 1 November 2023, making Singapore the first port to implement electronic bunker delivery notes (e-BDN). Bunker suppliers were required to provide e-BDNs from 1 April 2025. The e-BDN carries the information required under MARPOL Annex VI, including the vessel, the product, the quantity in metric tons, density, sulphur content and the supplier’s declaration.
Bunkers supplied in the Port of Singapore must conform to ISO 8217. The current edition, ISO 8217:2024, was published on 30 May 2024 and brought bio-residual and bio-distillate fuels containing FAME into scope. Many charter parties still specify ISO 8217:2017, so the edition needs to be stated in the enquiry and on the offer.
Regulatory information checked against MPA publications, October 2026. Requirements change; confirm current rules with the MPA before relying on them.
Supply arrangements
Anchorage
The most common arrangement for ocean-going vessels: the bunker tanker comes alongside at the designated anchorage, often while the vessel waits for berth or after cargo operations.
Berth / terminal
Bunkering at a container or oil terminal during cargo operations, subject to terminal rules and simultaneous operations approvals. Coordinated closely with the agent.
Combined stems
VLSFO with LSMGO, or HSFO with MGO, delivered in one operation where the supplier’s barge can carry both grades. Each grade is documented separately.
Spot
A one-off stem for a specific port call, priced against the market on the day. The most common way vessels buy in Singapore.
Recurring
Liner services and regular traders calling Singapore on a rotation, where repeat stems benefit from a consistent supplier panel and documented preferences.
Short notice
Late changes to ETA, grade or quantity handled through our urgent bunker enquiry route.
Step by step
A stem starts with an enquiry from the party responsible for buying bunkers: the owner, the time charterer or the operator. It should state the vessel name and IMO number, ETA in Singapore time, delivery window, location, grade, specification and quantity. Our bunker quotation form captures all of these.
We put the requirement to licensed physical suppliers whose barges, grades and credit terms suit the stem. Offers are compared like for like: price, specification edition, quantity tolerance, delivery charges, payment terms and any conditions on the delivery window.
When you accept an offer in writing, the stem is confirmed and a nomination is sent to the supplier. The supplier schedules a bunker tanker for the agreed window, and the vessel agent and the vessel are informed of the supplier, the grade and the expected delivery time.
The licensed bunker tanker comes alongside, the pre-delivery checks are completed, and fuel is transferred through the mass flow meter. Representative samples are drawn during delivery. The vessel’s chief engineer and the bunker tanker’s cargo officer sign the delivery documents and the e-BDN is issued. An independent bunker surveyor can attend if the buyer requests one.
The buyer receives the e-BDN and sample details. If there is any doubt about quality, retained samples can be sent for independent laboratory testing. Invoices are settled according to the agreed payment terms.
Grades
Conventional residual and distillate grades are available from many licensed suppliers. Biofuel blends and alternative fuels are offered by fewer suppliers, so we confirm capability for each enquiry.
Physical deliveries are made by bunker suppliers and bunker craft operators licensed by the MPA. Traders and brokers such as SingaporeBunker.com source and coordinate supply from those licensed suppliers on behalf of buyers.
For conventional grades, a few days before arrival gives the widest choice of suppliers and barge slots. Shorter notice is often possible, but the options narrow. Alternative fuels such as LNG and methanol need significantly more planning.
Quantity delivered to ocean-going vessels is measured by the bunker tanker’s mass flow metering system under SS 648. The metered mass in metric tons is the basis of the quantity shown on the bunker delivery note.
The supplier issues an electronic bunker delivery note (e-BDN) with the details required by MARPOL Annex VI, together with sample information. Survey reports and laboratory results are provided separately if those services are arranged.
Yes. Most stems in Singapore are spot purchases for a specific port call. A term arrangement is only worthwhile for regular callers with predictable volumes.
Send the vessel, ETA, grade and quantity and we will return comparable offers from suitable licensed suppliers.