Singapore to set up a global maritime decarbonisation centre: Ong Ye Kung

THE Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will set up a global maritime decarbonisation centre upon the proposal of the International Advisory Panel on Maritime Decarbonisation, Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung said.

At the launch of Singapore Maritime Week on Monday, Mr Ong said the International Advisory Panel on Maritime Decarbonisation has proposed the establishment of a global maritime decarbonisation centre in Singapore, where a cluster of like-minded stakeholders can coordinate, drive and catalyse maritime decarbonisation solutions.

"It is a worthwhile, strategically important initiative, and MPA will follow up to set up this centre, with the support of industry players who have rallied around this effort," stated Mr Ong in his speech to open the event at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre.

The MPA will announce the details later this week on the global maritime decarbonisation centre. The International Advisory Panel on Maritime Decarbonisation, which was set up by the Singapore Maritime Foundation last year with MPA's support, will also release its report later this week.

Besides the decarbonisation centre, the MPA will launch a public consultation exercise to develop the Maritime Singapore Decarbonisation Blueprint 2050 by the end of 2021. The blueprint will outline Singapore's long-term strategies for a sustainable maritime industry here.

PSA will reduce vessel idle times through efficient operations, as shortening a day of waiting cuts carbon dioxide emissions by about 45 tonnes. The new Tuas Port will be fully electrified, using electric autonomous guided vehicles, and operate at half the carbon emission intensity of the current ports in Singapore, noted Mr Ong.

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Decarbonisation was one of the four frontiers the minister talked about as he addressed the theme of Singapore Maritime Week, "New Frontiers, Shifting Paradigms", on how the industry can do better, especially in a post-pandemic world where the landscape will change.

The other three frontiers are resilience, digitalisation and talent.

He noted that there have been talks of in-shoring to reduce reliance on foreign supplies as well as focus more on "just-in-case" and less on "just-in-time" as supply chains got disrupted during the pandemic and incidents such as the Suez Canal blockage that held up hundreds of vessels.

"I think countries can do this but probably only at the margins. It is not possible to unwind globalisation and the complex supply networks that have been set in place."

He also said that ensuring the safety and openness of international trade arteries like the Straits of Malacca and Singapore therefore remains a critical task, and requires the collective effort of all stakeholder countries. The MPA will continue to enhance its Vessel Traffic Information System to ensure safety of navigation, including early detection of collision and grounding risks.

On digitalisation, Mr Ong said the authority will be launching on Monday operational trials for the Just-in-Time platform under digitalPORT@SG Phase 2, which will enable ships to turn around faster and marine service providers to manage resources better. Internationally, "we are championing common standards and interoperability between digital systems of ports and ships".

Lastly, he suggested that the maritime sector cultivate the young's love for the sea and be less focused on selling specific professions and roles in the sector, so as to attract talent to the sector, which seems to be less appealing than the air and land transport sectors.