TotalEnergies Marine Fuels has conducted its first digital bunker operation for Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) in Singapore, boosting the efficiency of its bunkering process through digitalisation.
TotalEnergies adopted Bunkerchain’s eBDN system, Touch and Sail, and subsequently supplied fuel to a MOL-owned car carrier, Swallow Ace, successfully issuing an eBDN in the process. This transaction was successfully transmitted to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore through the digital bunkering platform. The operation is said to place TotalEnergies Marine Fuels among the first bunkering companies to digitalise its fuelling operations.
Louise Tricoire, VP TotalEnergies Marine Fuels said: “We are really proud of this achievement which not only improves the efficiency of our bunkering operations but ensures our processes are fit for purpose as the shipping industry transitions to a decarbonised future. This operation keeps us ahead of regulatory requirements in Singapore and demonstrates our commitment to sustainability in the maritime sector and our approach to supporting our customers in their operations.”
Digitalising bunkering is considered to eliminate the risk of human errors and save on paperwork conducted during the operation by a number of people at varying times, some of which involves physical contact by crews from vessel to vessel as signatures are gathered and documents exchanged. Just under 40,000 man-days a year could be saved by the industry by digitising bunkering, according to the MPA.
TotalEnergies Marine Fuels has been working with Bunkerchain since late 2022 when the two companies were involved in a biofuels bunkering trial directed by the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonization (GCMD). As part of that trial, TotalEnergies Marine Fuels partnered with the Jurong Port Universal Terminal (JPUT) and Bunkerchain to issue Electronic Certificates of Quantity (E-CQ) and Electronic Certificates of Quality (E-COQ).
Since 2020, TotalEnergies has become one of the earliest suppliers to commence issuing e-BDNs for its LNG bunker operations in Europe, utilising its chartered bunker vessels, the Gas Agility and Gas Vitality. Both vessels are owned by MOL.
Image: Digital bunkering (source: TotalEnergies Marine Fuels)
