Representatives across the marine fuels supply chain consisting of Singapore bunker supplier Hong Lam Marine, shipowner and operator Ocean Network Express (ONE), bunker buyer Seascale Energy and mass flow meter (MFM) conformity assessment body Metcore International met at APPEC 2026 on Thursday (10 September) to examine the digitisation of bunkering. The panel Addressing the Transition into Digital Bunker in APAC moderated by Saunak Rai, Member Marine Fuels Committee, Singapore Shipping Association, agreed bunkering’s digitalisation is not merely a paper-to-screen swap and must deliver transparency and trust. They concluded technology is pivotal, but human relationships and judgement remain indispensable. The following points were raised by panel members during discussion: Caroline Yang, Chief Executive Officer, Hong Lam Marine , believed digitalisation in bunkering is a fundamental transformation, not merely a “paper-to-screen” shift. She highlighted Singapore’s mandatory MFM system as a benchmark for success, noting its seven-year development – involving industry collaboration and strict enforcement – established a trusted, independent method for quantity measurement that levelled the playing field. Building on the above, she explained electronic bunker delivery notes (eBDNs) extend this trust to documentation by ensuring authenticity, verification, and auditability. She credited the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) for extensive industry consultation, emphasising success relies on stringent platform approval criteria, particularly regarding cybersecurity and controlled stakeholder access. Addressing the commercial impact, Ms Yang clarified digitalisation does not directly increase revenue for bunker craft operators; in fact, it initially raised costs due to verification and testing requirements. However, digitalisation significantly enhanced operational efficiency, saving approximately 2 to 3 hours per bunkering operation and reducing quantity dispu