Celebrating A*STAR’s 2026 President's Technology Awardees
Photo credit: National Research Foundation
Three A*STAR researchers have been recognised with Singapore's highest honours in science and technology at the 2026 President's Science and Technology Awards (PSTA). At the annual awards ceremony, Mr Wu Jian, Dr Yu Shengkai and Mr Tan Ren Kai from A*STAR National Metrology Centre (A*STAR NMC), together with Mr Thomas Ting Cheng Heong from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), received the President's Technology Award (PTA) for their contributions to transforming how marine fuel is measured, verified and trusted in Singapore and internationally.
The President's Science and Technology Awards (PSTA) are Singapore’s top honours for research scientists and engineers. Organised by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore, the awards are conferred annually to individuals and teams who push the frontiers of science and technology. The President's Technology Award honours accomplishments that have led to transformative changes in the use or potential of technology in Singapore and beyond.
President's Technology Award (PTA)
- Mr Wu Jian, Programme Director (Connectivity) and Principal Metrologist, A*STAR National Metrology Centre (A*STAR NMC)
- Dr Yu Shengkai, Senior Principal Scientist, A*STAR NMC
- Mr Tan Ren Kai, Research Engineer, A*STAR NMC
- Mr Thomas Ting Cheng Heong, Director (Technology and Innovation) and Chief Digital Officer, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)
For transforming how marine fuel is measured, verified and trusted through innovations that became the foundation of Singapore's mandatory mass flow metering and digital bunkering frameworks, setting standards later adopted internationally.
Wu Jian, Yu Shengkai, Tan Ren Kai and Thomas Ting Cheng Heong led the development and implementation of measurement science, engineering and digital assurance technologies that transformed marine fuel measurement in Singapore. Their work underpinned Singapore Standard SS 648 and MPA's mandatory mass flow metering framework, the first such framework implemented globally. The framework has reduced fuel-related disputes by up to 70 per cent and was later elevated internationally as ISO 22192, with ports including Rotterdam, Fujairah and Ningbo adopting the approach.
As the maritime industry digitalised, the team also developed technologies to verify the integrity of digital bunkering records, supporting the updated SS 648 and the new SS 709 standards. Their innovations enabled the Port of Singapore's mandatory adoption of digital bunkering in 2025, the first implementation at this scale worldwide, and are expected to save the industry close to 40,000 man-days annually. Drawing on complementary expertise in metrology, digital assurance and engineering, the team worked closely with partners across government and industry to strengthen transparency, efficiency and trust in global marine fuel transactions.