Business

Guangzhou unveils grand plans for its bonded bunkering sector at launch event

Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong plans to develop a “super bunkering hub” in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, says official.

Published

5 years ago

March 8, 2022

Admin

Editor’s Note [12 April 2022]: Article updated to reflect the correct English company name of 广州元亨仓储有限公司, which is Guangzhou Circle Storage Co., Ltd.

The following article published by Manifold Times on 8 March was sourced from China’s domestic market through a local correspondent. An online translation service was used in the production of the current editorial piece:

About 250 delegates attended the Guangzhou International Voyage Vessel Bonded Oil Bunkering Launch Event and International Oil Merchant Cooperation and Development Conference at the Guangzhou Yuexiu International Conference Center on 28 February.

The meeting was presided by Deng Maoying, Deputy Secretary General of the Municipal Government, and other Chinese officials who celebrated the increasing momentum of Guangzhou’s bunkering sector which received further support from the China’s central government in 2021.

Hong Qian, Director of the Municipal Bureau of Commerce, and Dong Ke, the Mayor of Nansha District, met with Guangzhou Circle Storage Co., Ltd. [广州元亨仓储有限公司] ~~Guangzhou Yuanheng Warehousing Co., Ltd.~~ and Guangzhou Development Bipi Oil Products which have been approved to carry out bonded bunkering operations for ships on international voyages.

A total of seven bonded bunker oil-related projects with a contract value of RMB 1.3 billion (USD 210 million) was signed at the event.

The China (Guangzhou) International Trade “Single Window” Information Service Platform for Bunker Fuel Supply for International Navigation Vessels, and an exclusive “Bunker Insurance” service provided by the Bank of China Guangzhou Branch were also simultaneously launched.

China Shipowners Association welcomes development

Bonded bunkering operations are an important indicator to measure the internationalisation level and supporting service level of the port, according to Zhang Shouguo, Executive Vice President of the China Shipowners Association.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has the largest seaport group and airport group in the world. In 2021, Guangdong Province strongly supported Guangzhou City by implementing a pilot project to license bonded marine fuel operations. The development will promote bonded bunkering operations in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

On 18 February 2022, the “Notice of the General Office of the Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government on Printing and Distributing the Interim Measures for the Administration of Bonded Bunkering of Ships on International Voyages in Guangzhou” was officially issued.

This marked the official launch of Guangzhou’s pilot program for undertaking bunkering licenses for ships on international voyages. Enterprises can apply to Guangzhou to carry out bonded bunkering business for ships on international voyages, and carry out direct supply of bonded oil within the scope of Guangdong Province.

“Ship bonded oil bunkering operations, which coordinate the direct supply business of bonded oil in cross-customs areas in the waters of the province, will help accelerate the development of the international shipping industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area,” stated Huang Xin.

Construction of “super bunkering hub” in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

Chen Jie, Deputy Mayor and Secretary General of Guangzhou City, said Guangzhou will firmly grasp the opportunity of the pilot project which allowed the provincial government to directly offer bonded bunkering licenses to oil companies.

Next, Guangzhou will work together with Shenzhen and Hong Kong to promote the development of a “super bunkering hub” in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to further optimise the region’s bonded marine oil market structure.

Dong Ke, the Mayor of Nansha District, said it has issued supporting policies to subsidise the rental of oil storage tanks in Nansha District and partially finance the installation of bonded bunker fuel supply monitoring facilities and information management systems to reduce operating costs for new bonded oil supply enterprises.

In addition, Nansha Customs has implemented business models such as paperless customs declarations and “reporting after supply” to improve the efficiency of bunkering operations.

It is also actively exploring various supervision modes such as “multiple supply from one ship” and “separate declaration” for outside port bunkering operations, amongst others, in order to enhance the business flexibility of bonded oil supply enterprises and improve the utilisation rate of local oil depots.

Photo credit: Loeng Lig on Unsplash
Published: 8 March, 2022

Legal

Shell Singapore charged over Pulau Bukom oil leaks, reporting delays

Shell faces four charges under Singapore’s Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act over two 2024 oil discharge incidents at its Pulau Bukom facility.

Published

13 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

2 MPA craft (left) supporting Shell craft in the clean up operations of the oil sheens taken on 28 Dec 9am

Shell Singapore has been charged over two incidents in 2024 involving oily mixtures discharged into Singapore waters from its facilities at Pulau Bukom, according to media reports on Tuesday (22 September).

The company faces four charges under the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act, including allegations that it failed to report the discharges to the port master immediately.

The first incident occurred on 20 October 2024, when approximately 40 metric tonnes (mt) of oily mixture was discharged through a hole in a pipeline at the Shell Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park at about 8am.

Shell is accused of reporting the incident to the port master at about 12.55pm, several hours after the discharge occurred.

The second incident took place between 26 and 28 December 2024. An estimated 485kg to 956kg of oil mixture was discharged into Singapore waters from the same facility.

Shell is accused of failing to report the incident immediately, with notification to the port master made at about 11.50am on 26 December 2024, according to the charges.

Singapore’s pollution-prevention regulations require occupiers of such facilities to report oil or oily-mixture discharges into Singapore waters “without delay and to the fullest extent possible”.

Shell’s representative requested an eight-week adjournment at the 22 September hearing, citing the need to obtain internal instructions, appoint counsel and locate historical records. The company said the business associated with the incidents had been divested in 2025.

The case was adjourned to October. Shell is also facing prosecution by Singapore’s National Environment Agency over the same incidents.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 25 September, 2026

Incident

MPA probes Singapore Strait collision involving fishing vessel, bulk carrier

MPA says there were no reported injuries among the crew of either vessel in the incident involving China-registered fishing vessel “Lu Qing Yuan Yu” and Panama-registered bulk carrier “First Margaux” .

Published

13 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

Panama-registered bulk carrier “First Margaux”

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Tuesday (22 September) said it is investigating the incident involving the China-registered fishing vessel Lu Qing Yuan Yu and the Panama-registered bulk carrier First Margaux in the Singapore Strait on 17 September.

MPA said there were no reported injuries among the crew of either vessel or pollution arising from the incident and navigational traffic was not affected.

Videos circulating on social media showed the bulk carrier colliding with the fishing vessel.

“The fishing vessel took on water during the incident but remained afloat and stable, with the crew taking measures to manage the situation onboard,” MPA said.

The vessel was subsequently towed to Raffles Reserved Anchorage for assessment.

Essential crew remained onboard to support the tow, while the Singapore Civil Defence Force supported the transfer of other crew to shore.

MPA added it also issued navigational safety broadcasts to keep other vessels clear of the tow and escorted the vessel into port with a MPA craft.

Photo credit: MarineTraffic / Arnold Pohen
Published: 25 September, 2026

Mass Flowmeter

TFG Marine deploys first MFM-equipped bunker barge in Jamaica

Bunker barge “Kingston Trader” is currently on its way to Jamaica following the successful installation of a Coriolis mass flow meter (MFM) system, certified to ISO 22192.

Published

13 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

TFG Marine deploys first MFM-equipped bunker barge in Jamaica

Global marine fuel supply and procurement firm TFG Marine on Thursday (24 September) said its bunker barge Kingston Trader is currently on its way to Jamaica following the successful installation of a Coriolis mass flow meter (MFM) system, certified to ISO 22192.

The company said the latest installation brings the proportion of TFG Marine’s fleet equipped with MFMs to approximately 88%, marking another step in the continued rollout of this technology across its global bunkering operations.

“The barge will operate in Jamaica through our local partnership with Scott Petroleum, becoming the first bunkering vessel in the region equipped with this technology and bringing greater accuracy, transparency and assurance to fuel measurement for customers across the Caribbean,” TFG Marine said in a social media post.

“Together with Scott Petroleum, we look forward to working collaboratively with the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, the The Port Authority of Jamaica, Petrojam Limited and other stakeholders to share our experience of MFM technology, explore its wider benefits and support the continued development of bunkering standards across the region.”

Manifold Times previously reported TFG Marine continuing to expand MFM technology across its US Gulf Coast bunker fleet with Buffalo B414 and Buffalo B304 being fitted with the equipment.

Last year, TFG Marine announced it reached a key milestone in its global digitalisation programme with the installation of an ISO 22192-compliant MFM on the Buffalo 404, a barge on time charter from American bunker barge company Buffalo Marine Service Inc.

The installation was part of TFG Marine’s wider strategy to equip close to 90% of its global bunkering fleet with MFMs by 2026 as a commitment towards improving data integrity, streamlining operations and strengthening trust in marine fuel transactions.

Photo credit: TFG Marine
Published: 25 September, 2026