Connect with us

Technology

Singapore: SGD $18 million maritime research centre unveiled

MPA, SMI, NUS establishes research centre to enhance Singapore’s maritime and port industries.

Admin

Published

on

5b35d661705b2 1530254945


The National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI), with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Friday established a SGD $18 million (13.2 million) research centre to enable Singapore’s maritime and port industries to develop innovative capabilities and enhance their global competitiveness.

The agreement to set up the new centre was signed today by Professor Chua Kee Chaing, Dean of NUS Faculty of Engineering, and Mr Toh Ah Cheong, Executive Director of SMI.

The new Centre of Excellence in Modelling and Simulation for Next Generation Ports (C4NGP) will be part of the NUS Faculty of Engineering and it will work with companies in Singapore’s maritime and port sectors to improve their technical knowhow, efficiency and productivity, and prepare them for the next phase of global competition.

At steady state, C4NGP is expected to have about 20 NUS researchers working on projects.

“NUS is delighted to partner MPA and SMI to set up this new Centre of Excellence,” said Professor Freddy Boey, NUS Senior Vice President (Graduate Education & Research Translation).

“The C4NGP will work closely with the industry to promote innovation in the port and maritime sectors and to co-create cutting-edge solutions that could advance these sectors.

“This concerted effort will greatly enhance the long-term competitiveness of the maritime and port industries, and further strengthen Singapore’s strong reputation as a global maritime hub.”

The C4NGP Governing Board chaired by Prof Boey will comprise members from key stakeholders such as MPA, SMI and industry partners.

The Centre will be jointly led by Associate Professor Chew Ek Peng and Associate Professor Lee Loo Hay from the Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Management at NUS Faculty of Engineering.

“The establishment of C4NGP is timely as it deepens our port modelling, simulation and optimisation capabilities,” said Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA.

“The centre aims to improve the planning and operations of our Next-Generation Port at Tuas and the eco-system around the port.

“It will help PSA and Jurong Port with the optimisation of their existing and future operations as part of the Industry Transformation Map.

“Beyond our ports, we hope C4NGP can be a good repository of modelling expertise as well as serve as a platform for collaboration with institutions across the world to develop and establish standards for port modelling and simulation.”

Over the next five years, C4NGP aims to focus on the following areas:

  • Design and build maritime systems, including simulation platforms that cater to the needs of maritime and port related industries;
  • Conduct navigational channel capacity studies and develop systems to simulate and optimise incoming and outgoing marine traffic;
  • Study various port terminal systems, including automated guided vehicle optimisation, scheduling and charging strategies; container yard storage management strategies; analysis of future port systems; and traffic flows within port terminals; and
  • Examine land transport-related systems such as port gateway design systems and analysis of inter-terminal traffic movement between port terminals.

Related: INSIGHT & EXCLUSIVE: NUS creates ‘digital twin’ of Singapore’s next gen port

Photo credit: National University of Singapore
Published: 29 June, 2018

 

Continue Reading

Milestone

GCMD: Project CAPTURED achieves two regulatory milestones for onboard captured CO2

CO2 captured onboard during the project has been formally recognised for compliance under the EU ETS while a proposal submitted to MEPC 84, based on the project, has received IMO’s in-principle support.

Admin

Published

on

By

RESIZED venti views

Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Wednesday (21 July) said Project CAPTURED has achieved two regulatory milestones that strengthen the commercial case for onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS).

This comes following its world’s first demonstration of an end-to-end value chain for onboard captured and liquefied CO2 (LCO2).

Completed in June 2025, the pilot showed that CO2 captured onboard a vessel can be offloaded ship-to-ship, transported overland and permanently bound through carbon mineralisation—a process that converts captured CO₂ into stable materials for industrial use.

The CO2 captured onboard during Project CAPTURED has been formally recognised for compliance under the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). This means the verified tonnage of captured CO2 can be deducted from emissions requiring the surrender of EU Allowances (EUAs).

To qualify for this recognition, the CO2 must be chemically bound permanently in eligible products. Project CAPTURED demonstrated that CO2 captured onboard vessels can meet this requirement through carbon mineralisation.

The data and learnings from the same demonstration formed the basis of a proposal submitted to MEPC 84. This proposal received in-principle support from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for recognising carbon mineralisation as a form of permanent CO₂ storage.

Complementing geological sequestration, which is already accepted by the IMO, this recognition broadens the downstream options for CO2 captured onboard vessels, and supports the development of maritime carbon value chains. Beyond providing a permanent storage pathway, carbon mineralisation also creates the potential for captured CO2 to serve not only as a waste stream requiring permanent storage, but also as a feedstock for industrial applications through carbon mineralisation, extending emissions reductions beyond the shipping value chain.

Professor Lynn Loo, CEO, GCMD, said, “Project CAPTURED has moved OCCS beyond technical demonstration. The acceptance of the EU ETS deduction gives captured CO₂ a compliance value. At the same time, IMO’s in-principle support for carbon mineralisation will help clarify how captured CO2 can be treated after it leaves the vessel. Together, these milestones turn a pilot into a verified reference case for maritime carbon logistics, one that links regulatory recognition, commercial value and emissions impact.”

 

Photo credit: Venti Views on Unsplash
Published: 22 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Technology

Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform, with Ocean Network Express as its first buyer-side integration partner.

Admin

Published

on

By

Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti, the digital platform for maritime fuel operations, on Tuesday (21 July) said it has started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform.

The company announced Singapore-headquartered container shipping firm Ocean Network Express (ONE) as its first buyer-side integration partner. 

“It is no coincidence we start in Singapore, as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) remains at the forefront of digitalisation of all things bunkering,” the company said in a social media post.

In November 2023, MPA launched its digital bunkering platform, becoming the world’s first port to implement e-BDN. 

Ofiniti said every bunker delivery still runs on retyped data. 

“The buyer’s system says one thing, the supplier says another, and someone reconciles the gap by email, phone, or PDF. On every stem,” the company said. 

“We built FuelBoss to change this reality.”

With the integration, operational data now flows without manual re-entry, fewer reconciliation errors and faster processing and data, instead of documents, are readily available for procurement and claims workflows. 

“One connection will not transform the industry on its own, but digitalisation gets built one integration at a time. We are grateful to ONE for being willing to go first,” Ofiniti added.

Manifold Times previously reported ONE completing its successful trial of the electronic Bunker Delivery Note (e-BDN) with Shell. 

The e-BDN trial, using the digital bunkering solution developed by Angsana Technology, was conducted on 9 September 2023 at the Port of Singapore, with support from the MPA.

In March 2025, Ofiniti acquired Singapore-based Angsana Technology, with the entire Angsana team joining Ofiniti as part of the acquisition.

Related: MPA Chief Executive: Port of Singapore begins digital bunkering initiative today
Related: Singapore set to become first port in the world to debut electronic bunker delivery notes
Related: ONE completes e-BDN adoption trial with Shell in Port of Singapore
Related: Ofiniti acquires Singapore-based Angsana Technology to advance digital bunkering solutions

 

Photo credit: Ofiniti
Published: 22 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Technology

Genevos and Koedood Marine Group team up on maritime hydrogen fuel cell deployment

Collaboration will explore how ready-to-use marine fuel cell systems can support shipowners and shipyards in the transition towards zero-emission operations.

Admin

Published

on

By

Genevos and Koedood Marine Group team up on maritime hydrogen fuel cell deployment

Marine fuel cell systems provider Genevos recently said the company signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with engine supplier Koedood Marine Group to explore the deployment of hydrogen fuel cell systems for inland and coastal maritime transport. 

The LOI was signed by Phil Sharp, co-founder and CTO of Genevos, and Mühlheim, Business Development Director of Koedood Marine Group during the 2026 Advanced Maritime Technology Show in Amsterdam.

Building on Koedood’s proven experience in hydrogen maritime projects – including its ongoing work with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and TNO on hydrogen engine development – the collaboration will explore how ready-to-use marine fuel cell systems can support shipowners and shipyards in the transition towards zero-emission operations. 

“Koedood has a strong reputation in the maritime sector and a deep understanding of vessel operators’ needs. This LOI is an important step in exploring how Genevos’ hydrogen fuel cell systems can be deployed more widely across inland and maritime applications, helping shipowners reduce onboard emissions with robust, practical and scalable clean power solutions,” said Sharp.

The collaboration aligns with growing market demand for rapidly deployable hydrogen solutions and the wider need to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission technologies across the maritime sector. 

“With this collaboration, we are further strengthening our portfolio of maritime energy solutions. Together with Genevos, we are exploring how we can support our customers in the adoption of hydrogen technology,” said Mühlheim.

 

Photo credit: Genevos
Published: 20 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Trending