Business
Singapore: Future of Shipping Conference reiterates ‘hands-on-deck’ approach for decarbonisation
About 450 maritime leaders and industry professionals from around the world gathered to discuss a global approach towards decarbonisation and digitalisation.

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2 years agoon
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Around 450 maritime leaders and industry professionals from around the world gathered online on Friday (23 April) to discuss a global approach towards decarbonisation and digitalisation of the maritime industry at the Future of Shipping Conference (FOSC).
Jointly organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the FOSC was held in conjunction with the 15th Singapore Maritime Week.
Speaking at the opening of the conference, Mr Ong Ye Kung, Singapore’s Minister for Transport, said, “Shipping brings trade, and with it, greater business opportunities, creation of jobs, co-operation and inter-dependence between countries, setting the conditions for peace and stability.”
“Developments in shipping have a real impact on the development of economies and uplifting of lives around the world. With deep commitment to collaboration in decarbonisation and digitalisation, we can realise a better future for shipping and for the economies and people who depend on it.”
Minister Ong also announced that MPA, Singapore Shipping Association, and Global Compact Network Singapore, will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to train the industry in carbon accounting, support companies in managing and lowering emissions, and encourage best practices in decarbonisation.
“We all have a part to play in addressing challenges and pushing blue sky thinking to develop and implement solutions,” said Kitack Lim, Secretary-General, International Maritime Organization, said in his address.
“To keep pace with the demands of the global economy and the expectations for sustainable growth, the maritime world needs to be in the forefront of transformational change. We need to facilitate decarbonisation and enhance digitalisation for safer, more environmentally friendly, and efficient shipping.”
Lim also thanked MPA for partnering IMO on the “Single Window for Facilitation of Trade Project”, or SWiFT, which will develop a maritime single window system for a port in a developing country.
FOSC presented a timely opportunity for stakeholders to move forward on NextGEN - a concept for a collaborative global ecosystem of maritime transport decarbonisation initiatives first announced in September 2020.
The inaugural meeting of NextGEN took place on the side-lines of the conference. The meeting discussed ways to ensure that developing countries are not left behind in the progress towards maritime decarbonisation, and the actions needed to facilitate collaboration across the maritime and energy supply chain. Participants were also informed of plans to launch a NextGEN portal in the second half of 2021 to further discussions and sharing of initiatives in maritime decarbonisation.
The conference also saw several presentations and panel discussions from representatives across the geographical regions and the maritime value chain, on viable pathways to maritime decarbonisation and a technologically empowered maritime sector.
Additionally, the discussion also focused on the role of IMO and its Member States in ensuring that no country is left behind.
Closing the conference, Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on Climate Action and Assistant Secretary-General for the Climate Action Team, said, “It is increasingly clear that decarbonisation of the global economy is inevitable and all sectors must act now.”
“We urgently need all hands-on-deck to speed up this transition and ensure we keep the 1.5C goal within reach. Initiatives like NextGEN and the Getting to Zero Coalition can help deliver the necessary support, technology transfer and investment in the sector in developing and emerging economies.”
Photo:
First row left to right:
Mr Robert Ashdown, Secretary General, International Association of Classification Societies (IACS)
Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority
Mr Nick Ryan, Vice President (Operated Fleet), bp shipping
Ms Quah Ley Hoon, Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Second row left to right:
Mr Andreas Sohmen-Pao, Chairman BW Group and Co-Chair of the International Advisory Panel on Maritime Decarbonisation
Mr Kitack Lim, Secretary-General, International Maritime Organization
Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Transport, Singapore
Mr Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on Climate Action and Assistant Secretary-General for the Climate Action Team
Third row left to right:
Mr Brian Østergaard Sørensen, Vice President, Head of Research & Development, Two-Stroke, MAN Energy Solutions
Mr Darwin Telemaque, Chief Executive, Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority (ABPA)
Ms Vivian Rambarath Parasram, Director and Head, Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (Carribean)
Mr David Foo, Assistant Chief Executive (Operations-Technology), Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 26 April, 2021
Business
Singapore: Maritime Census 2023 survey deadline extended to 23 October
‘MPA is conducting an annual survey to collect timely statistics on the maritime industry’s activities, technology, sustainability and manpower developments,’ says the port authority.

Published
59 mins agoon
September 28, 2023By
Admin
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Wednesday (27 September) said the Maritime Census 2023 survey deadline has been extended to 23 October.
“MPA is conducting an annual survey to collect timely statistics on the maritime industry’s activities, technology, sustainability and manpower developments,” it said in a social media post.
Maritime firms selected for the survey will be notified by email or post to complete the survey online via go.gov.sg/mpasurvey .
“Your participation will help us shape policies and programmes that will drive #MaritimeSG forward,” it added.
Manifold Times previously reported MPA announcing it was conducting the census to collect timely statistics.
Related: Singapore: MPA conducts Maritime Census 2023 to collect timely statistics
Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 28 September, 2023
Alternative Fuels
GCMD, BCG survey highlights three maritime decarbonisation archetypes
Survey identified three decarbonisation archetypes within the shipping industry, differentiated in their outlook, investment appetite and the challenges faced.

Published
1 hour agoon
September 28, 2023By
Admin
The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) conducted an industry survey to take stock of shipowners and operators’ progress in establishing six elements needed for the shipping industry to reach net zero, according to BCG on Wednesday (27 September).
The survey saw strong participation from 128 shipowners and operators across vessel types, fleet sizes and geographies, which collectively own or operate 14,000 merchant vessels, and account for USD500 billion in revenue.
The duo found high decarbonisation ambitions: Most respondents viewed net zero as a strategic priority, and 77% had already set concrete decarbonisation targets. The industry has also mobilised resources to decarbonise: respondents are investing 2% of their revenues into green initiatives, and 87% have personnel working toward green objectives.
The path to net zero for shipowners and operators requires six elements:
- A robust strategy and roadmap
- Four specific decarbonisation levers to reduce emissions: operational efficiency, technological efficiency, fuel transition, and shipboard carbon capture
- Enablers such as dedicated sustainability teams, strategic investments in green initiatives, internal carbon prices, and digitalization
While the industry has made some progress in adopting mature and cost-effective efficiency levers, adoption of complex or nascent levers remains low. Drop-in green fuels are constrained by costs and supply-side gaps, and optimism for future cleaner fuels is yet to translate into firm commitment.
The industry is now at a pivotal point, with many shipowners and operators ramping up their decarbonisation efforts. Three-quarters of respondents plan to increase investments in green initiatives. Stakeholders can build on this momentum with a variety of supportive actions. But to be effective, they need to tailor their interventions to address the specific challenges that shipowners and operators face at each stage of decarbonisation.
Three Decarbonisation Archetypes
GCMD and BCG saw three archetypes, differentiated in their outlook, investment appetite, and the challenges faced.
Frontrunners have the greatest ambitions and are willing to invest heavily. They are pushing boundaries, adopting even nascent decarbonisation levers, such as wind propulsion and air lubrication. A majority plan to pilot shipboard carbon capture solutions by 2025. Frontrunners are also planning to adopt methanol and ammonia as early as 2026 and 2029 respectively, and the availability of fuels and bunkering infrastructure will be critical to enabling adoption.
Followers believe in decarbonising their fleets, but have tighter investment thresholds and a near-term outlook. They have kept pace with Frontrunners in adopting mature and cost-effective efficiency levers, such as main engine improvements and slow steaming, but are behind in the adoption of nascent levers, such as wind propulsion and air lubrication.
Conservatives are still early in their decarbonisation journey, likely due to a lack of awareness and familiarity with the various decarbonisation levers, and the capabilities to assess and deploy them. They are best supported by measures that increase their familiarity with the levers and help contextualise them to their specific fleets and operational requirements.
The research highlights five key actions for stakeholders:
Conduct technical pilots and facilitate data sharing, especially for nascent levers
- Create innovative financing mechanisms to de-risk adoption of less mature levers
- Raise awareness, contextualize levers, and build capabilities, especially among Conservatives
- Start to build out future fuels infrastructure at ports
- Develop mechanisms to equalize and share the costs of levers across the ecosystem
- Maritime decarbonization is a complex, critical endeavor. The successful implementation of these five key actions demands a whole-of-value-chain approach. By working together, stakeholders can transform the maritime sector into a beacon of environmental stewardship, and set a course for a greener future where decarbonization and commercial success go hand in hand.
Note: The GCMD-BCG Global Maritime Decarbonisation Survey report can be downloaded here.
Photo credit: Venti Views on Unsplash
Published: 28 September, 2023
Ammonia
Itochu enters MoU with firms for study of ammonia bunkering safety for container carrier
Through this cooperation, several companies and organisations will come together to discuss and study safety issues during ammonia bunkering of a container carrier that uses ammonia as a bunker fuel.

Published
1 hour agoon
September 28, 2023By
Admin
Tokyo-based Itochu Corporation on Tuesday (22 September) said it has executed a Memorandum of Understanding for a joint study of ammonia bunkering safety for an ammonia-fuelled container carrier among eight companies and organisations with the aim of implementing the use of ammonia as a bunker fuel in shipping industry.
Through this cooperation, several companies and organisations will come together to discuss and study safety issues during ammonia bunkering of a container carrier that uses ammonia as a main fuel.
“This MOU for Ammonia Bunkering Safety for Container Carrier is an important milestone for social implementation of the use of ammonia as marine fuel on a global scale, and also a necessary step toward the realisation of the Integrated Project consisting of the construction of a global ammonia supply chain and the development of ammonia-fuelled ships by ITOCHU and its partner companies,” the firm said in a statement.
A joint study that will be carried out under the MOU is a successive phase of the existing Joint Study Framework launched in 2021 by 34 companies and organizations including ITOCHU and Joint Study Framework for Ammonia Bunkering Safety launched in 2022 by 16 companies and organizations including ITOCHU, and focused on discussion and study of safety issues of ammonia bunkering to ammonia-fueled container carriers among experts from port authorities, container liner operators, bunkering related players and shipping company.
A key subject of the joint study under this MOU for Ammonia Bunkering Safety for Container Carrier is the safety assessment for simultaneous operations of container cargo operations and ammonia bunkering in a container terminal, which is generally required for container carriers to achieve operational efficiencies.
ITOCHU said it is promoting a development of ammonia-fueled container carriers with potential partners following the development of ammonia-fuelled bulk carrier, which obtained Approval in Principle in 2022. ITOCHU will accelerate the development of an ammonia-fueled container carrier based on findings of this MOU for Ammonia Bunkering Safety for Container Carrier and plans to bring it to the international shipping market in late 2020s.
ITOCHU will accelerate the development of sustainable energy systems through these initiatives and ensure its contributions to the SDGs and improvement of related efforts, one of the basic policies laid out in its new medium-term management plan, as the company pursues a low-carbon society.
The eight companies and organisations are; Algeciras Bay Port Authority, Spain; Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands; CMA CGM, France; A.P.Moller Maersk A/S, Denmark; Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Japan; Pavilion Energy Singapore, Singapore; TotalEnergies Marine Fuels, Singapore; and ITOCHU.
Related: Itochu-led joint study of ammonia as an alternative marine fuel expands to 34 players
Related: 23 industry players participate in joint study of ammonia as an alternative marine fuel
Related: Singapore: Pavilion Energy, MOL, Total join Itochu and Vopak ammonia bunker fuel study
Related: Spain: Itochu, Peninsula enter MOU for joint development of ammonia bunkering in Gibraltar Strait
Related: Japan: “K” Line, ITOCHU and partners receive ClassNK AiP for ammonia-fuelled bulk carrier
Photo credit: Itochu Corporation
Published: 28 September, 2023

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