Singapore authorities have published a new national standard and two technical references intended to strengthen fuel quality assurance in the bunkering sector. The measures were unveiled on 16 October 2026 at the Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition 2026.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and Enterprise Singapore, acting through the Singapore Standards Council, launched a Singapore Standard and two Technical References that together address ammonia bunkering, bunker fuel sampling, and the testing of polymers in residual-based marine fuels. The announcement was reported on 16 October 2026.
Regulators framed the package as focused on practical steps to make bunkering operations and fuel testing more consistent. The documents set out agreed approaches intended for industry use rather than prescribing commercial terms.
New measures for ammonia bunkering
One of the items is a Singapore Standard covering ammonia bunkering. The standard establishes a common reference for the handling and delivery of ammonia intended for use in ships, addressing procedures that support the transfer of that fuel.
The introduction of a formal standard for ammonia bunkering aims to provide operators and suppliers with a single point of technical reference. That clarity is designed to reduce uncertainty around operational practice and to align expectations among parties involved in bunkering operations.
Sampling and polymer testing guidance
The two Technical References set out guidance on bunker fuel sampling and on methods to detect polymers in residual-based marine fuels. One TR defines sampling procedures to obtain representative bunker fuel samples for analysis.
The other TR concentrates on test methods for polymers that may be present in heavier fuels derived from residues. Such methods are intended to support consistent laboratory assessment and help producers, suppliers and users evaluate fuel quality on a comparable basis.
Industry bodies and laboratories will be able to refer to the TRs when developing internal procedures or when commissioning analytical work, providing a uniform approach to sample collection and polymer detection.
Singapore’s role as a global bunkering hub made the jurisdiction a natural venue for the launch. By publishing the standard and references through the Singapore Standards Council, authorities have produced nationally endorsed documents that the local industry can adopt immediately.
Taken together, the documents provide a framework that spans both emerging fuel types and long-established residual fuels. They are intended to sit alongside existing operational and regulatory practice, offering technical detail where variability in methods has previously existed.
The measures were presented at SIBCON 2026, where stakeholders from across the bunkering supply chain gathered. The launch was carried in a report by reports dated 16 October 2026.
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