An aerial panorama of Zhoushan port area in Zhoushan. [Photo/www.wifizs.cn]

The Zhoushan Port in East China's Zhejiang province has launched a digital delivery system for bonded marine fuel, known as electronic bunker delivery notes (e-BDNs). 
On July 1, the port issued its first e-BDN, completing a paperless refueling operation and becoming the first in China — and the third globally — to implement fully digital handovers for bonded fuel supply.

That evening, under the supervision of port authorities, the vessel Ocean Glory was filled with 500 metric tons of low-sulfur fuel oil and 60 tons of light diesel.

Using the newly launched e-BDN system, the barge Yi Feng Run 66 completed the delivery with a few taps on a tablet, digitally signing all fueling documents. The vessel's chief engineer simultaneously completed the digital process, noting the ease compared with traditional paper-based procedures.

At the same anchorage, 1,500 tons of high-sulfur fuel oil were delivered to another vessel, the Pacific Glory. These dual e-BDN transactions validated the system's efficiency and signaled Zhoushan's entry into a new paperless and digital era for marine fueling.

Globally, manual measurements and paper documents remain common, often causing delays and errors.

The Zhoushan-developed e-BDN platform eliminates these by digitizing fuel management for suppliers, barges, international ships, and port regulators. It ensures faster operations, accurate metering, and transparent oversight.

Since 2017, Zhoushan has introduced 62 reforms in its fueling sector, laying the groundwork for e-BDN adoption through innovations like quality flow meters and technical standards.