The 19th Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) held its largest-ever edition in Singapore last week, welcomed  19,431 attendees, alongside more than 819 exhibitors from 41 regions and countries, including 20 pavilions, and 112 speakers from across the globe. 

Amid the strong turnout, APM saw a significant number of announcements, covering product launches and the inking of partnerships, signalling strong momentum for advancing the industry and underscoring the industry’s unwavering confidence in Asia’s premier maritime event and conference.

Yeow Hui Leng, Group Project Director of APM, said: “The numerous deals and partnerships announced at the event underscore APM’s role beyond that of a maritime marketplace; it also serves as a platform for showcasing best in class innovations and setting the stage for solutions that will shape the future of the industry. We thank our partners for their long standing support and trust in APM as the premier meeting point for global and regional players—one that fosters meaningful dialogue, bold collaboration, and strategic partnerships that will propel the maritime sector to greater heights.”

This year’s event brought together key decision-makers from across Asia, including shipowners and shipyards. Notably, the Indonesian National Shipowners’ Association (INSA) led a delegation of 60 shipowners representing 20 shipping lines. 

Carmelita Hartoto, Chairwoman of the Indonesian National Shipowners’ Association (INSA), said, “INSA is delighted to be back at APM. As a long-standing partner of APM, we truly value the opportunity for Indonesian shipowners to engage in productive conversations with global solution providers and industry leaders, forge new partnerships, and connect with industry forerunners. I am confident that the connections and insights gained at APM will shape Indonesia’s growing maritime industry and drive innovation in vessel operations.”

A myriad of deals, showcases, and partnerships that focused on driving zero emissions with next energy innovations were announced, including:

• Forming of industry partnerships led by VC Power, including collaboration with Bureau Veritas Marine Singapore on promoting battery technology as a practical and sustainable energy solution; with DNV Singapore for joint development of marine battery training programmes; and with Chengrui Power Technology (Shanghai) and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited to advance marine battery supply and integration.
• A collaboration partnership to advance next-generation hybrid-electric fleet technology for offshore wind support vessels was signed between Siemens Energy and Marco Polo Shipyard.
• Partnership formalised between Bureau Veritas, Beng Hui Marine Electrical, and Penguin International marked the debut of Bureau Veritas’ Type-Approved PWR+ Power Management and Digital Monitoring System on Penguin International’s new series of compact crewboats for the oil and gas industry. 

Next energy in focus, driving net-zero resolutions

Amid the delay in adopting IMO’s net-zero framework and the oil and gas trade disruption caused by current geopolitical conflicts, it has become more crucial to empower decision-makers with a broader range of energy sources and more efficient solutions. The focus on next energy at APM 2026 has become an extremely timely conversation. 

The conference posited that conversations on alternative fuels need to continue to progress, despite uncertainty in formal regulatory adoption, especially given the concerns over energy sovereignty.

One message was clear across the various panels – the industry needs to emphasise fuel optionality, because the direction towards net-zero has not changed. 

• During the “Ammonia as a Marine Fuel: Unlocking Safety & Scale” panel, panellists debated on how ready ammonia-cable engines and bunkering systems are for commercial deployment. 

Capt. Neeraj Kumar, Carbon Solutions Specialist, Mitsui OSK Lines, commented that “the interim guidelines for ammonia is already there, and in future, it’s going to be developed fully and included in the IGF (International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels) code.” He shared the example of how MOL worked together with Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Yara Clean Ammonia, and Pilbara Port Authority for the “first twin ammonia STS (ship-to-ship) transfer” – this successful trial showcased how the industry is “matured enough and able to build on the learnings for subsequent bunkering”.

• On the panel, “Securing LNG’s Long-Term Viability as a Shipping Fuel”, speakers delved into the renewed LNG uptake despite the pressure to accelerate decarbonisation, evaluating the fuel’s long-term competitiveness with the popularity of bio-LNG and e-LNG. 

“The use of Bio-LNG or e-LNG is a decarbonisation pathway, and while it is not immediate, it serves as a transition,” said Gobinathan M Ramachanderan, Head, Decarbonization, MISC. He added, “Fossil LNG, which is among the cleanest fossil fuels that is already available and readily scaled, should be expedited, followed closely with the uptake of bio-LNG and e-LNG. These are technology-centric with heavy capex and low uptake. So to have the uptake, it’s always carrot and stick. The countries, the geographical considerations, and the bunkering hubs must be able to cater for the uptake. A fuel is only good when it is available for the entire maritime industry and not only to a section.”

• Separately, the panel on “The Future of Electrification in Shipping: What’s Next?”, highlighted the growing adoption of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries, driven by rapid technological advances and increasing range. It also noted that electrification could pave the way for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), though safety and design considerations remain key. 

APM 2028: Powered by next energy and technological innovations

Next energy and technological innovations have become strategic necessities in today’s maritime industry. The conversations at the conference saw technology providers, shipowners and industry experts convene to explore practical pathways to enable cleaner and more efficient operations. 

As the industry continues to balance tighter emissions rules, greater fuel uncertainty, and pressure to build resilient supply chains, APM will return for its 20th edition from 22-24 March 2028, diving deeper into next-generation innovations that drive the future of vessels, the solutions for tomorrow. 

Note: More exhibition and conference highlights can be found on the event website.

Photo credit: RX Global
Published: 6 April, 2026