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Maritime sector players urged to strengthen R&D, pilot maritime technologies and improve cybersecurity skills to boost their resilience and capacities to handle disruptions
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Singapore Senior Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat says new technologies adopted by the industry and new collaborations across places and sectors during the pandemic open opportunities to “start up and scale up”
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Singapore will build on momentum to achieve its goal of becoming Silicon Valley for MarineTech
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore is pushing maritime technology companies to develop their capabilities by strengthening research and development, piloting maritime technologies and improving cybersecurity to boost their resilience and capacities to handle disruptions.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Chee Hong Tat, in his opening address at the MarineTech Conference at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, said the pandemic had driven businesses and individuals to accelerate the adoption of new technologies, and opened up new collaborations across geographies and sectors.
“This provides opportunities for marinetech companies to start up and scale up. With support from our tripartite partners and research institutions over the years, Singapore is now home to a thriving marinetech ecosystem,” Chee said.
“We will build on this momentum to achieve our aspiration of becoming the Silicon Valley for marinetech, focusing on digitalization, innovation, and partnerships,” he said.
On Day 2 of Singapore Maritime Week 2022 on April 5, MPA signed two memoranda of understanding with partners at the conference, which gathered global industry leaders and stakeholders to speak on key growth areas for investment, emerging technology trends, start-up showcases and demand outlook for maritime technology.
Chee announced the launch of the Maritime Singapore Additive Manufacturing Landscape Report to provide firms a roadmap to experiment with new practices in additive manufacturing.
The landscape report, “Charting the Way Forward,” provides an overview of maritime additive manufacturing capabilities in Singapore and shares learning points from previous trials and adoption processes. It is the first joint publication developed by MPA, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster and Singapore Shipping Association (SSA).
SSA announced an MOU with MPA and seven industry partners – BW Maritime, Eastport Maritime, Ocean Network Express, Orient Maritime Agencies, Pacific Carriers Limited, Pacific International Lines and Thome Ship Management to strengthen maritime industry cybersecurity.
The MOU will set the Maritime Cybersecurity Roundtable this year where parties will suggest initiatives to improve cybersecurity collaboration via information sharing, growing a leading talent pool in Singapore, and facilitating greater awareness and access to maritime cyber solutions and talents. The inaugural roundtable will be held later this year.
MPA also announced the second renewal of an MOU with Jurong Port Pte, extending the collaboration for five years until April 4, 2027.
With a budget of S$28 million, the latest MOU aims to enhance the resilience of JP as a next-generation multipurpose port by focusing on collaboration across four broad themes: automation and mechanization, sustainability and future green fuels, digitalization, and safety and security.
Signed in October 2011, the first MOU established the Maritime Green Port and Productivity Solutions Programme to boost collaboration on R&D and pilot application of port technology. Both parties developed solutions to automate JP’s cement and general cargo terminals, reducing manpower needs, shortening cargo discharge time and enhancing overall safety of unloading.
MPA and JP inked a second MOU in April 2017 in which they set up a digital twin and enterprise data hub to enhance decision support and resource optimization. JP launched the Lighter Terminal Connect platform to facilitate coordination of lighter operations between truckers and lighter boat operators.
Other industry agreements signed in conjunction with Innovation@SMW include Skyports-Wilhelmsen and Skyports-Thome MOUs to develop and test the concept of operations for end-to-end service delivery in preparation for commercialization of the drone den maritime R&D covering maritime informatics, supply chain innovation and efficiency, decarbonization and sustainability as well as safety and security.
