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The port of Singapore is to launch a new bunker standards policy that will consolidate its two existing bunkering standards, CP60 and CP77, into a new national bunker supply chain standard called the Singapore Standard 600 (SS 600).

In the opening address of this year's Singapore International Bunkering Conference, Raymond Lim [pictured], minister for transport and second minister for foreign affairs, told delegates that SS 600 will update and consolidate the requirements under two existing Singapore Standards - CP 60, which applies to bunkering by bunker tankers and CP 77 which applies to bunker surveying.

Lim said the new standard, to be phased in by the second half of 2009, will benefit the bunker industry in a number of ways.

First, SS600 will aim to rationalize requirements under CP 60 and CP 77 and streamline the documentation process, therefore making it easier for bunker players to ensure compliance.

The new standard will also require bunker suppliers to sign declarations that each load of bunker fuel complies fully with regulations under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships. This requirement will aim to provide bunker buyers with greater confidence that the fuel supplied to them in the port of Singapore is fully compliant with international regulations.

Finally, the introduction of improved fuel sampling requirements will aim to further reduce the likelihood of sample tampering and fraud, thereby providing ship operators with greater assurance of fuel quality.

Sales of bunker fuel in the port of Singapore in 2008 are on course to surpass the previous annual record of 31,546,000 tonnes set last year. By the end of August, accumulated sales for the year had already reached 23,540,500 tonnes, with average monthly sales of 2.94 million tonnes.