The highly anticipated 18th edition of Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) is set to herald the largest gathering of the global maritime value chain in Southeast Asia. 

From 13 to 15 March 2024, over 1,400 global brands will be present at the conference and exhibition, spanning 17 pavilions across six expansive halls of Singapore's Marina Bay Sands. 

From closed-door networking sessions and delegation visits to product launches and business announcements, APM 2024 will serve as a platform for fostering tangible connections and sharing insights that will propel the maritime industry forward in today's landscape of transformative changes driven by technology, climate imperatives, and shifting geopolitical landscape. 

Close to 120 industry experts from Singapore and across the world will share their insights and expertise in Sustainability, Digitalisation, Cybersecurity, Next Gen Ports and Operational Excellence across two stages on the floor. The Main Stage will focus on tackling growth and business potential in maritime, while the Innovation Stage will present case studies, leading innovations, and inspiring visions to help companies overcome challenges in business growth.  

At the centre of the APM conference will be a keynote panel discussion titled "A Net Zero Carbon Maritime Industry – Will We Ever Get There?" as the first session at the Main Stage on 13 March 2024. 

The panel will bring together some of the key leaders in the industry to discuss regulatory and policy frameworks and dissect the industry's trajectory towards carbon neutrality, examining challenges, opportunities, and the feasibility of achieving this ambitious goal. 

The panel will include:

• Andreea Miu, Head of Decarbonisation, The Sustainable Shipping Initiative; 
• Douglas Raitt, Area Commercial Manager Singapore, Southeast Asia & Australasia, Lloyd's Register; 
• Capt. Hari Subramaniam, Chairperson, The Nautical Institute (Singapore) & Regional Head of Business Relations, The Shipowners Mutual P&I Association (Luxembourg) (Singapore Branch);
• Jason Chia, Assistant Vice President, Global Design Centre, Seatrium; Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry & Transformation), Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA); 
• Dr. Sanjay Kuttan, Chief Technology Officer, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation;
• Torben Nørgaard, Chief Technology Officer – Energy & Fuels, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping; 
• Toshikazu Shiomi, Senior Vice President, Ocean Network Express. 

Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry & Transformation), Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), said, "Singapore, as a forward-looking maritime hub, has been at the forefront driving digitalisation and decarbonisation for the maritime industry.”

“We look forward to meeting like-minded individuals and organisations from all over the world to discuss achieving net-zero emissions through technological innovations, alternative fuels, regulatory frameworks, and collaboration among industry stakeholders.”

“MPA looks forward to contributing to the global efforts in transforming the maritime industry and combat climate change.”

Torben Nørgaard, Chief Technology Officer – Energy & Fuels, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, said: "We must relentlessly continue our ambition to decarbonise in accordance with the 1.5°C target. A substantial increase in upstream investments in alternative fuels is critical for the maritime decarbonisation journey.”

“I am looking forward to sitting down with other maritime leaders at APM 2024 to bring these discussions forward.”

Sessions curated for the conference, which is sponsored by ABS WaveSight, Convera, DNV, Roxtec, Yinson GreenTech, ARI Simulation and Siemens Energy, include:

• Market Intelligence: Shipping Outlook for 2024 and Beyond – What Lies Ahead
• Is the Maritime Sector Struggling to Innovate?
• Developing a Future-Ready Maritime Workforce
• Green Shipping Corridors: Fostering Eco-Friendly Transportation Networks
• Rise of Green Ammonia: What is Needed to Make it a Success?

Industry veteran Carmelita Hartoto, Chairwoman of the Indonesia Shipowners' Association (INSA) and Chair of Federation ASEAN Shipowner's Association (FASA), will be speaking on the opening day. Her session on “Indonesian Maritime Future Energy – Opportunities and Challenges” will focus on the industry’s status, growth forecasts, and decarbonisation strategies while also exploring opportunities for collaboration to establish a green maritime plan involving electrification and green hub development. 

Other speakers attendees can look forward to seeing:

• Ashish Mediratta, Head of Crewing, A.P. Moller Maersk
• Dr. Chunwee Ng, Associate Professor, Singapore Institute of Technology
• Elizabeth Petit Gonzalez, Head of Partnerships, The Sustainable Shipping Initiative
• Jan-Viggo Johansen, Managing Director, Marine, Yinson GreenTech
• Murthy Pasumarthy, Assistant Vice President, Technology & New Product Development, Seatrium
• Norberto Barlocco, Head of Operations for Electrical, Automation & Digitalisation South West Europe, Siemens Energy 
• Sanjay Verma, Director, Decarbonisation Solutions, Wärtsilä

Separately, the Satellite Mobility World seminar happening on the afternoon of 14 March at the Innovation Stage will delve into the latest advancements in maritime broadband communications. 

Titled "Unlocking The Future of Broadband at Sea: How Multi-Orbit Connectivity Is Propelling Maritime Forward", the sessions will be led by Speedcast, OneWeb, Intellian, Kymeta, Intelsat and Iridium. Attendees can expect discussions on cutting-edge technologies like Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) services, flat panel antennas and multi-orbit constellations shaping the future of maritime connectivity.

APM 2024 Exhibition

As the maritime industry prepares for a significant surge in the adoption of technologies such as autonomous vessels, drones, additive manufacturing, smart coatings, artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, hydrogen fuel cell, carbon capture, and more, APM will stand as a pivotal platform for the unveiling of such solutions to drive the industry forward.

Attendees can expect to see 1,400 leading brands, including Amogy, CALB Group Co., Ltd, Damen Shipyard, Durapower, EST-Floattech, EVE Energy Storage Co., Ltd, Fincantieri, Siemens Energy, ST Engineering Ventures, Tersan Shipyard, VertiDrive and many more.

Carmelita Hartoto will also lead a contingent of Indonesian shipowners to APM 2024. 

Hartoto said: “In my role as Chairwoman of INSA and Chairperson on ASEAN Shipowners, my mission is to enhance national and regional shipping with international stakeholders.”

“Indonesia's and ASEAN’s shipping industry has been growing significantly in recent years, so there is no better time to present ourselves on the world stage to enhance global awareness of our capabilities and needs.”

“For APM, I am looking forward to having our shipowners network and prospect with companies from all over the world and to learn from all the different stakeholders in the maritime sector."

Yeow Hui Leng, Group Project Director, RX, the organiser of APM, said: "After weathering the storm of the global pandemic, the resurgence of APM in its grandest form is a testament to the unwavering resilience and determination of our maritime community and the pivotal role of APM, which has been supporting the ecosystem for the last three decades.”

“We look forward to welcoming participants from around the globe as we embark on this journey towards a more sustainable and prosperous maritime future.”

Note: All registered professionals for APM 2024 will be granted free access to both exhibition and conference floors. Latest information on APM 2024 can be found on the event’s website.

Photo credit: RX Global
Published: 5 March 2024