In a bid to improve transparency in the bunker industry to minimise scope for malpractice and reduce disputes over the quantity and quality of fuels supplied to ships, both IBIA and BIMCO are working for effective bunker licencing schemes, preferably introducing mass flow meters, to be implemented in bunker hubs around the world. The online survey, aimed at the wider maritime industry, will serve as a valuable tool to get the industry’s views.

IBIA formed the IBIA Bunker Licensing & MFM Working Group in 2021 to identify key elements of bunker licensing programmes. “IBIA’s ambition is to create greater alignment and transparency across bunker ports and strengthen the credibility of our industry by the use of MFM,” says IBIA Chairman Henrik Zederkof, who was instrumental in getting this initiative underway.

Alexander Prokopakis, CEO of probunkers and Chairman of the IBIA Bunker Licensing and Mass Flow Meters Working Group says: ‘’The working group consists of 24 IBIA members representing the supply industry, the shipping industry, and other stakeholders such as ports and insurance companies. BIMCO has taken part in the working group since its first meeting in April 2021 and fully supports the initiative.”

A bunker licence sets the conditions to allow bunker suppliers and bunker barge providers to operate within a specific jurisdiction. It will specify certain minimum requirements to obtain and keep permission to operate within the jurisdiction covered by the bunker licence. The specific requirements may vary but an effective bunker licensing program is intended to ensure that the licence holders meet the minimum requirements set out in the licence, and that failure to comply will have severe consequences.

“The implementation of licensing schemes that award high quality fuel oil suppliers will help improve the level of quality of the fuel delivered and provide significant financial savings for shipowners and bunker suppliers,” says David Loosley, BIMCO Secretary General and CEO.

We now seek wide industry participation in this survey to gain valuable insight into the need and appetite for wider implementation of these measures. The online survey will take approximately 7-10 minutes to complete, and all responses will be treated in confidence. The QR Code below links to the survey.