Pertamina trading arm PIMD starts Singapore bunker fuel deliveries

PT Pertamina International Marketing & Distribution, the trading arm of Indonesia's Pertamina, has begun bunker fuel deliveries in Singapore using its own bunker delivery note from Feb. 1, after securing the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's bunker supplier and bunker craft operator licenses at the start of 2026, company representatives told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy.

"We are planning to start offering services with our BDN on Feb. 1," said Aditya Prabowo, managing director of PIMD.

PIMD will initially focus on low sulfur fuel oil and marine gasoil in Singapore, but said it is also working toward adding high sulfur fuel oil and biobunker offerings.

"The initial product slate will be LSFO and MGO, and we also try to expand to HSFO," Prabowo said, highlighting PIMD's reliable supply chain at launch for LSFO blending.

Execution over growth in 2026

PIMD framed the dual-license setup, spanning both supply and craft operations, to offer customers tighter control over the chain from sourcing to delivery, it said.

The company's focus in 2026 is not to chase a big volume jump but to "stabilize performance" and raise its direct customer base, Prabowo said.

"This year we are not going to boost volumes, but we want to stabilize our performance in terms of ... the quantity, quality and also timing," he added.

PIMD's bunkering business expanded in 2025, with sales volumes rising to about 3 million metric tons from about 2 Mmt in 2024, he said.

Aiming to maintain bunker fuels sales volume at 3 Mmt to 3.5 Mmt in 2026, PIMD will focus on improving execution and raising the number of direct customers, said Prabowo.

The company aims to serve end-customers directly and limit reliance on intermediaries. "We can guarantee the quantity, we can guarantee the quality and we can guarantee the timing of the service itself," said Prabowo, adding that sales routed via partners account for "only 10%."

PIMD will pursue both spot and term business at the start, with typical term lead times of around three to six months initially, Prabowo said.

Storage, contingency supply

Prabowo linked PIMD's performance pledge to its new storage and blending capabilities, which were added in late 2025.

"Now, by having our own storage, we can guarantee the quantity, the quality and also the timing of the delivery," he said.

In addition to its own storage, PIMD maintains contingency sourcing through partners beyond supplies from the parent group.

"We also have other sources with our partners in Singapore and also in Malaysia," he said, adding that storage expansion is also on the agenda.

Green fuels

Beyond conventional fuels, biobunkers are part of PIMD's planned offerings, with supply preparations underway. The company has been certified under ISCC EU and ISCC CORSIA in August 2025 as a trader with storage capabilities.

Biobunker deliveries are expected "by the end of this year," said Prabowo.

Beyond the bunkering sector, PIMD aims to promote biofuels from Southeast Asia to the world.

"The purpose is to support the palm industry's ecosystem in Southeast Asia, so the region becomes a center leading the biofuels industry ... because we have strength in the resources," Prabowo said, highlighting the need to align with market sustainability requirements amid the scrutiny of feedstocks.

Teuku Miftah, head of trading at PIMD, highlighted the company's hydrotreated vegetable oil offering, with the aim of closing a first deal of 50,000-100,000 mt within a year, prioritizing the Asian market.

While sustainable aviation fuel could be potentially added to PIMD's offerings, Prabowo said meeting domestic demand comes before securing export supply and stable demand signals are needed before production of SAF for the global market.

Indonesia has maintained its B40 blending program rather than pushing ahead with B50, although Pertamina has prepared for a B50 rollover, awaiting regulatory signals, he added.

Global bunkering footprint

PIMD has positioned Singapore as a strategic beachhead for a wider international push, citing proximity to Indonesia and the city-state's role as a major bunkering hub.

"Singapore is the biggest hub for bunker business," Prabowo said, adding that its strategic location and familiarity with local conditions make it "the first step to expand in the global market."

Prabowo highlighted interest in networks spanning "the Middle East, the US, Europe and China" to other bunkering hubs beyond Singapore.

The next destination for bunkering business expansion is Fujairah, said Prabowo, adding that the company already has a representative office in Dubai.

While the company has "not yet" a firm global expansion timeline, Prabowo added it wants to strengthen its foothold in Fujairah and that other regions could follow "within this year or next."