THE Port of Singapore saw a one per cent drop in container volumes in the first half of 2020, but bunker sales were up 3.7 per cent thanks to the IMO's clear fuel mandate.

The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) reported a throughput of 17.84 million TEU in the first half of 2020, a year-on-year one per cent drop.

Overall throughput, including containers, conventional, oil and dry bulk cargoes saw a year-on-year 7.3 per cent decline in the first half to 292.4 million tonnes.

Higher bunker sales in the first half helped by the IMO 2020 low sulphur fuel cap mandate from January, offset the damage done by the Covid-19 pandemic to cargo volumes.

In the first half of 2020 24.58 million tonnes of bunker fuel were sold in the Port of Singapore, up 3.7 per cent year on year.e sold in the Port of Singapore, up 3.7 per cent year on year.