SINGAPORE: More than S$100 million will be set aside over the next five years to fund research and development in the maritime sector under a new blueprint, said Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow.
Announcing this at the opening of Singapore Maritime Week on Tuesday (April 21), Siow said the latest Singapore Maritime Technology and Research Roadmap will guide future innovations in areas such as autonomous port operations, alternative fuels and smart ships.
The annual Singapore Maritime Week takes place from April 20 to 24 at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, gathering more than 20,000 participants from nearly 80 countries and regions.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in a statement on April 21 that the new road map, which builds on an earlier edition rolled out in 2019, focuses on translating research into deployable solutions.
It will prioritise the advancement of digital technologies, support for practical decarbonisation methods and improved integration across port and shipping operations.
The blueprint will also deal with structural constraints such as labour requirements, as well as space limitations on land and at sea, noted the authority.
The road map was developed after consultations with industry and the research community.
MPA said the investment of more than $100 million will add to the more than $500 million in funds that have already been poured into maritime research and development here over the past two decades.
On April 21, Siow also announced the development of OCEANS-X, an MPA platform to enable data exchange between regulators, port operators, shipping lines and other international partners.
The platform will allow various maritime systems to work together, connecting users directly to digital services and data, he added.
Hosting more than 100 datasets, the platform can, for instance, facilitate the sharing of a vessel’s location in Singapore’s waters to allow the operator of a service boat to leave the port in time to meet a ship safely.
Shipping companies and agents can also connect their in-house or third-party systems to OCEANS-X, so that documents and certificates needed for port clearance can be transmitted directly to MPA.
“This saves time, reduces errors and enables ships to call at the Port of Singapore more efficiently,” said MPA.
The platform’s secure system-to-system connectivity will allow maritime companies and government agencies to exchange trusted data directly.
This will ultimately enable integrated digital services, more efficient port operations, smoother trade flows and stronger connectivity with global ports, MPA added.
Siow said that amid the challenges the maritime industry is facing, it must invest in new capabilities.
One of these challenges is how cyber threats are growing faster than the defences being built against them.
At the same time, artificial intelligence is advancing faster than the industry is adopting it, he noted.
While the transition to alternative fuels in the maritime sector is under way, Siow noted that the technology, bunkering infrastructure and regulatory frameworks “remain fragmented”.
On the AI front, MPA and the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) signed an agreement on April 21 to support maritime companies in rolling out such systems across key functions, including shipping and bunkering operations, and equipping employees with the needed skills.
Initial runs of the AI training programme have started, with the participation of 21 companies. A full roll-out is planned for later in 2026, said MPA and SSA.
Siow said discussions that took place two decades ago in the 2006 edition of the Singapore Maritime Week are “very different” from those in the current edition.
The topics then included improving the image of the shipping industry and whether the sector could self-regulate more.
This was against the backdrop of a profitable industry, with many nations prospering from the open maritime order then.
Siow noted that this system – which has brought global prosperity – is enshrined in international law, but is now under some threat.
The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz after the Feb 28 US-Israel attack on Iran has thrown the global shipping network into disarray.
Siow said the maritime industry has thrived because various parties have committed to working together to address the challenges.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO), he said, plays a crucial role as a convening platform.
The United Nations agency has in recent years made significant progress in advancing the international legal and regulatory frameworks for safe, secure and sustainable shipping, he added.
“Singapore will continue to strongly support the work of the IMO and member states in strengthening the future of our industry.” - The Straits Times/ANN
