Asia-Pacific Maritime has lots to offer

THIS year's Asia-Pacific Maritime (APM) event takes place in two weeks (March 19-21) against a backdrop of increasing confidence within the shipping community. Reflecting that, this year's programme of conferences, seminars and an exhibition looks like one that will offer more than ever before.

There are of course challenges ahead for the region's maritime community. Most markets are still far from the heady days of seven to eight years ago, and over-capacity is a fact of life in the majority of trades.

Nevertheless, Singapore seems to exude confidence nowadays. One sign of that is several upbeat announcements from the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), which recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with classification society DNV GL to promote innovation and research and development in the maritime industry. The MOU covers liquefied natural gas (LNG) research and technology, potential environmental gains to be made by using energy-saving and emissions-reduction technology in ports and projects designed to cut ship emissions and boost fuel efficiency.