Singapore, Japan to jointly implement green aviation initiatives
Daphne Yow
SINGAPORE and Japan have agreed to work together on initiatives in the air travel sector, including green air travel management (ATM) for all flights between Singapore and Tokyo.
These were part of discussions between the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) at the second Singapore-Japan Dialogue on Aviation Collaboration on Monday (Jul 24).
The ATM measures will facilitate continuous climb-and-descent operations and optimal cruising flight level assignment. These will save fuel, reduce carbon emissions and shorten flight times, and come after a successful month-long trial in June, the two authorities said on Tuesday.
“Our collaboration on green ATM is particularly significant (as) it establishes tangible measures that can be immediately implemented and translate to immediate fuel and carbon emission savings,” said CAAS director-general Han Kok Juan.
“These measures can be scaled up to cover more flights and serve as a pathfinder for wider adoption by more countries,” he added.
The two authorities will also collaborate to expand a multi-regional trajectory-based operations project – poised to enhance flight efficiencies and cut carbon emissions – to more air navigation service providers.
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They plan to materialise an Aviation Green Lane comprising three elements: airline operations, airport processes and ATM.
This will serve as a template for wider adoption, taking into account discussions with other third-party states, which will be “proposed for discussion at appropriate international platforms soon”.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) was also a point of discussion between CAAS and JCAB, based on a “common understanding” of SAF as a key element to achieve aviation carbon neutrality. Both parties shared their respective policy considerations and plans for SAF initiatives, but concurred that it would have to be sufficient in supply and priced competitively in Asia-Pacific.
As part of CAAS and JCAB’s agreement to facilitate the resumption of flights and city links, direct flights between Singapore and Okinawa will re-commence from November. This arrangement is in addition to the current five city links between Singapore and Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo.
In terms of aviation safety, CAAS will be leading a tripartite Singapore delegation made up of government, union and company senior representatives to Japan to learn from their Japanese counterparts.
Both authorities also recognised the importance of using technology to overcome manpower shortages, increase productivity and address the challenges of an ageing aviation workforce, including incorporating worker-friendly and ergonomic solutions.
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