12 May 2008
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will help bunker suppliers in the adoption of the SS 524 bunker management quality standard through a 30 percent financial assistance in certification fee. The scheme is part of on-going efforts to promote MPA's bunker supplier accreditation scheme for which SS 524 certification is a key requirement.
Implemented in June 2007, the SS 524 - the Singapore Standard for Quality Management for Bunker Supply Chain - provides bunker suppliers with a system to monitor and manage the quality of their bunker products. Having such a system in place provides greater assurance to customers of the quality of bunkers in Singapore. To attain or renew their bunkering licences, all bunker suppliers in Singapore are required to engage a certification body accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) for Quality Management System (QMS) to certify their compliance with SS 524 before 1 June 2008.
Said Capt M Segar, Director (Port) and Port Master, MPA, "The financial assistance to bunker suppliers is part of the MPA's overall efforts to develop a business environment that is conducive for industry growth. This incentive for SS 524 certification in particular is to promote the growth of a quality bunker industry. More than 70 bunker suppliers operating in the port of Singapore are expected to benefit from this scheme."
The SS 524 superseded the Technical Reference on Quality Management for Bunker Supply Chain (QMBS), or TR 8: 2003, published in 2003. As a quality management standard, it is more stringent than the TR 8 and helps ensure that the entire bunker supply chain, from product procurement to delivery of bunkers to vessels, is managed efficiently and effectively.
The key requirements include suppliers having to obtain a Certificate of Quality (COQ) of the purchased products issued by a testing laboratory accredited or recognised by the SAC; collecting representative samples at the jetty loading arm when loading products into bunker tankers from oil terminals; and complying with international regulations to limit sulphur content in marine fuel.
All bunker suppliers who meet the qualifications for the Accreditation Scheme for Bunker Suppliers and have attained the SS 524 certification prior to 1 June 2008 are eligible. The deadline for application is 31 December 2008. Details on how to apply for the financial assistance are provided in the Port Marine Circular No. 8.
End of release
About the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was established on 2 February 1996, with the mission to develop Singapore as a premier global hub port and international maritime centre (IMC), and to advance and safeguard Singapore's strategic maritime interests. The MPA is the driving force behind Singapore's port and maritime development, taking on the roles of Port Authority, Port Regulator, Port Planner, IMC Champion, and National Maritime Representative. The MPA partners the industry and other agencies to enhance safety, security and environmental protection in our port waters, facilitate port operations and growth, expand the cluster of maritime ancillary services, and promote maritime R&D and manpower development.
About the Port of Singapore
The Port of Singapore comprises a number of facilities and terminals that handle a wide range of cargo transported in different forms, including containers, conventional and bulk cargo. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is responsible for the overall development and growth of the Port of Singapore which includes the terminal operators, such as PSA Singapore and Jurong Port Pte Ltd.
