Singapore, Australia ink pact for green and digital shipping corridor
SINGAPORE and Australia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish the Singapore-Australia Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC).
Under the collaboration, both countries will work with interested partners to develop zero, or near-zero, greenhouse-gas (GHG) emission fuel supply chains for the maritime industry.
This includes building necessary infrastructure, formalising standards, as well as developing and implementing the training requirements.
The partnership will explore facilitating digital information exchange to enable efficient port clearance, port calls and flow of vessels between Singapore and Australia.
It is also expected to facilitate collaboration between the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Australian federal, state and territory governments, and industry stakeholders.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday (Mar 5) by the Australian government, Singapore’s Ministry of Transport and MPA, both countries said that the MOU is expected to help catalyse the development and uptake of zero or near-zero GHG emission technologies.
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It is further seen to drive the adoption of digital solutions that would enhance the resilience, efficiency and sustainability of global maritime supply chains.
Australia was highlighted for its “great potential to be a key producer of green marine fuels”, and Singapore as the “world’s largest bunkering and busiest transhipment hub port with a vibrant research and innovation ecosystem”.
The MOU was signed by Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, who is also Second Minister for Finance, and Catherine King, Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, and announced at the Singapore-Australia Annual Leaders’ Meeting in Melbourne on March 5.
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Both countries previously announced in June 2023 that they were in discussions to explore establishing the GDSC by end-2025.
Chee said: “The MOU affirms the shared commitment of Singapore and Australia to pool our expertise and resources to develop scalable green and digital solutions for the maritime sector, and upskill our workforce to support the energy transition.”
In addition to the GDSC, Singapore and Australia said that they were working to jointly conduct research and development, demonstration projects and pilots under a low-emissions technologies initiative for maritime and port operations.
Both governments said that the initiative is aligned with and will support the Singapore-Australia GDSC outcomes.
The collaboration involves MPA and Australian government agency Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and is supported by Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research.
The partnership with Australia on the GDSC comes after the Republic inked a deal with Tianjin in December 2023 to establish a green and digital shipping corridor between the two cities, among other initiatives under the Tianjin Eco-City bilateral project.
Representing the first such corridor between Singapore and China, it is expected to act as a testbed for digital solutions, alternative fuels and technologies, as well as facilitate manpower development to support decarbonisation and digitalisation in shipping.
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