Singapore Now Has Drones Delivering Bunker Samples

 

Skyports, the world's leading drone service company, has been expanding its footprint in Singapore's busy harbor for years. Drone deliveries offer a fast and efficient way to deliver small spares, medical supplies and cash-to-master payments, and Skyports provides these services to ships at anchor in partnership with Sumitomo, ST Engineering and Singapore's port authority. The firm says it now has a new application for drone logistics in the world's busiest bunkering port: picking up fuel oil samples for testing, a task that previously required a manned harbor boat. 

The trial was carried out in partnership with the bunker supplier TFG Marine, tanker operator CBS Ventures, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). It focused on developing safety protocols for flying to and from a bunker tanker in the harbor. The flights showed that Skyports' drones can be safely used around bunker tankers, which operate under under stringent requirements.

The live trials have been a long time coming. Skyports began the process of research and regulatory discussions nearly two years ago, and gradually worked the concept up to maturity. It figured out how to monitor bunker tanker movement during the approach, conducted tests to ensure that there would be no issues with electrostatic discharge from the drone, and planned out the best possible sequence of movements to safely reach a clear deck area. In case of loss of remote control, the team programmed the drone to reverse out along the same route that it flew in.  

When all was ready, Skyports made multiple runs to and from the TFG Marine bunker tanker MT Diligence, approaching on a designated safe flight plan. Upon reaching location, the drone winched down a sample box, which crewmembers filled with vials of bunker fuel. After loading the cargo, the crew stepped back to a safe distance, the drone winched the box back up, and the samples were flown back to shore for lab analysis - saving TFG Marine the cost of a small-boat delivery run. 

For merchant ships, Skyports offers fast transport for cash-to-master, engine fluid samples, and cargo deliveries for packages up to 22 pounds. This covers a solid share of the rush-service transportation previously performed by supply boats - though there will always be business for Singapore's boat operators, given the harbor's abundant activity for crew transfers and larger stores deliveries.