Singapore updates methanol bunkering safety guidelines

This covers safe handling, transfer, and measurement of the fuel.

Singapore has issued a new Technical Reference (TR) 129 that establishes a comprehensive framework for the safe and efficient use of methanol as an alternative for bunkering operations.

TR 129 was published by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), through the Singapore Standards Council (SSC).

The guidelines set out requirements for safe handling, transfer, and measurement of methanol in bunkering operations. These include custody transfer requirements, operational and safety requirements for the delivery of methanol from a bunker tanker to receiving vessels, and guidance on the use of mass flow meters.

TR 129 also reflects learnings from the first simultaneous methanol bunkering and cargo operations conducted in May 2024, and the first ship-to-container ship methanol bunkering operation completed in July 2023

The framework was developed by the Working Group on Methanol Bunkering, supported by the Standards Development Organisation at Singapore Chemical Industry Council.

Choy Sauw Kook, Director-General (Quality & Excellence), EnterpriseSG, said the “TR 129 will help to equip our local operators with not only the capabilities, but confidence to carry out methanol bunkering operations, and pave the way towards a multi-fuel future in Singapore.”