The Business Times
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THE BROAD VIEW

Can Singapore help shape the future of the ocean?

The global seas are part of the infrastructure that underpins the country’s stability

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    • The presence of a major international airport alongside port infrastructure reinforces Singapore's position, allowing operators to coordinate logistics in a single location.
    • The presence of a major international airport alongside port infrastructure reinforces Singapore's position, allowing operators to coordinate logistics in a single location. PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN, BT

    Rhett Butler and Thomas Knudsen

    Published Sat, May 16, 2026 · 07:15 AM

    DEBATES about ocean protection tend to focus on treaties, national policies and international agreements. Fisheries quotas are negotiated between governments. Shipping rules are set through global bodies. Marine conservation is often framed as a matter of state responsibility.

    Yet many of the decisions that shape the ocean’s condition are made far from diplomatic forums. Ships refuel in ports. Cargo moves through urban terminals. Financial and regulatory systems based in cities influence how maritime industries operate.

    Many of the decisions that shape the ocean are, in practice, made in cities.

    OceansSingaporeMaritimeConservationTradeShipping

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