{
  "id": 6407402,
  "title": "Pacific Environment and NTU Singapore release new study urging robust fuel certification to ensure genuine transition to green shipping",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/pacific-environment-and-ntu-singapore-release-new-study-urging-robust",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-09T10:00:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hellenic Shipping News",
    "slug": "hellenic-shipping-news",
    "url": "https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/pacific-environment-and-ntu-singapore-release-new-study-urging-robust-fuel-certification-to-ensure-genuine-transition-to-green-shipping/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A new study by Pacific Environment and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore (NTU Singapore) stresses the importance of rigorous fuel certification to ensure the global shipping industry’s shift to eco-friendly fuels is genuine and free from deceit. Entitled \"The role of sustainable fuels certification schemes in maritime decarbonisation,\" the research, spearheaded by NTU’s Maritime Energy & Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence, scrutinizes existing certification schemes like ISCC, RSB, Brazil’s RenovaBio, CARB LCFS, and the U.S. EPA RFS. These systems offer valuable models for the International Maritime Organisation to establish universal standards for Sustainable Fuel Certification Schemes (SFCS).\n\nThe study emphasizes the critical role of certification systems in guaranteeing that zero- and near-zero-emission fuels actually contribute to environmental gains. Singapore’s climate expert, Lim Jie Ying, notes that as the shipping sector ramps up the use of these fuels, robust certification systems are needed to prevent fraud and ensure sustainable production, as well as practicality across complex global supply chains.\n\nThe research reveals significant weaknesses in global fuel supply chains, highlighting instances where fraud has occurred due to reliance solely on paper documentation without physical origin verification. To counteract these risks, the study suggests chemical testing or \"fuel fingerprinting\" to confirm fuel authenticity independently, along with stronger cross-verification measures. Moreover, it advocates for a centralized digital database to track all fuel transactions, preventing suppliers from falsely claiming the same green fuel batch multiple times.\n\nDr Yeoh Keat Ping, the lead researcher, underscores that enhancing the traceability of sustainable fuels through ongoing research and innovation is vital for supporting the transition in maritime energy. This effort necessitates collaboration across policy-making, laboratory validation, digital solutions, and industry knowledge sharing. As sustainable fuel volumes increase, these measures must remain robust to adapt to a changing landscape.\n\nThe study also tackles the issue of Indirect Land-Use Change (ILUC), where converting land for fuel crops can lead to deforestation and disrupt food production elsewhere. It advises the IMO to employ a balanced risk-based strategy to limit or phase out high-risk crop feedstocks, safeguarding both the environment and global food security. For Singapore, this means an opportunity to bolster its reputation as a reliable green hub in maritime transport. By enhancing training for local sustainability auditors and implementing fuel fingerprinting methods, Singapore can ensure the integrity of alternative fuel supply chains across Southeast Asia.",
  "summary": "Environmental non-profit Pacific Environment and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have issued a new study highlighting that strict and reliable fuel certification is essential to keep the global shipping industry’s transition to clean fuels honest and fraud-free. The study titled “The role of sustainable fuels certification schemes in maritime decarbonisation,” was led…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}