The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has issued 51 companies with bunker survey licence to operate in the Port of Singapore which are valid from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017.

Since the licensing scheme was first announced in October 2014, MPA has been engaging the bunker surveying industry on the details of the scheme. The licensing scheme will raise the standards of bunker surveying companies and allow MPA to have greater regulatory oversight of bunker surveying companies and bunker surveyors.

“This new licensing scheme for bunker surveying companies complements the existing schemes of requiring bunker surveyors to be licenced and requiring bunker survey companies to be accredited to ISO 17020,” said Darajit Daud, Senior Manager, SGS Testing & Control Services Singapore Pte Ltd and Chairman of the Technical Committee for Cargo Inspection, under SPRING Singapore.

He added that together these schemes “will enhance industry confidence in the many bunker surveying companies in Singapore and further help protect the interest of the relevant bunker players.”