The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Republic Polytechnic (RP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a specialised Unmanned Aircraft (UA) Pilot Training programme for MPA UA pilots, which will also provide internship opportunities for RP students. 

This initiative aims to equip MPA, as well as commercial UA pilots, with advanced competencies to operate drones for maritime applications. These include inspection of vessel structures, monitoring of vessel emissions, and supporting emergency response efforts.

The course will cover essential skills, including take-off and landing from vessels, emergency procedures at sea, and Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations. UA pilots will also be trained to operate drones equipped with various sensor payloads such as electro-optics, infrared, and multispectral imaging. Tethered drone operations, which enable extended flight times for surveillance and monitoring, will also be included.

Under this five-year collaboration arrangement, MPA and RP plan to develop competency frameworks for UA pilots operating at sea, and will train over 20 MPA UA pilots annually. The collaboration will also explore the potential development of a maritime-specific qualification for UA pilots for interested parties. The training will be conducted by RP’s team of full-time lecturers who are also certified UA Pilot Licence trainers.

Through this partnership, RP students have internship opportunities with MPA, and can explore potential career pathways as UA pilots and watch supervisors coordinating the deployment of unmanned systems for port operations and maritime safety. 

RP lecturers and students will also have opportunities to gain industry exposure and practical experience through participation in MPA’s upcoming drone-related projects. In addition, RP will work with MPA in relevant committees and forums to shape policies, safety standards, and regulations for maritime drone operations.

In 2025, MPA will trial new drone capabilities, including coordinated drone operations for chemical spill management and the Maritime Drones Traffic Management System to ensure safety in port waters. 

The Maritime Drone Estate, launched in 2021, will also be expanded to support commercial drone services such as remote inspections and shore-to-ship deliveries. These advancements will contribute to safer, more fuel-efficient, and sustainable maritime operations.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 28 March, 2025

PSA International (PSA), DNV Singapore (DNV) and Pacific International Lines (PIL) on Thursday (27 March) said they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on carbon emission measurement, reporting and verification (MRV), and jointly develop sustainable solutions to advance decarbonisation in the maritime and logistics sectors.

Amidst the growing demand for transparency in sustainability reporting, there is an increasing need for the exchange of reliable and harmonised data across value chains. Paired with robust data assurance, reductions in logistics emissions can then be accurately measured for greater supply chain emissions visibility.

As part of the MoU, PSA will leverage its global network of ports, logistics nodes and intermodal solutions and partner with PIL, the largest Singapore-grown carrier in Southeast Asia with extensive networks in Asia, Africa, Middle East, Latin America and Oceania, to create end-to-end green supply chains. 

Both companies will also capitalise on DNV’s suite of digital solutions to help the maritime industry create a robust data ecosystem, enabling digital assurance.

Being leaders in their respective fields, all the partners will cooperate to catalyse meaningful change and accelerate the adoption of low-carbon solutions to facilitate more efficient and sustainable global trade flows.

Antony M DSouza, Senior Vice President & Regional Manager, Southeast Asia, Pacific and India, DNV Maritime, said, “The maritime industry is at a crucial juncture where collaboration and digital innovation must go hand in hand to drive meaningful sustainability. To achieve real progress, we must not only leverage emerging digital technologies but also build trust through robust measurement and verification.”

“Through this partnership with PSA and PIL, we are committed to developing strong MRV capabilities that enhance transparency, enable data driven decisions, and accelerate the transition to greener supply chains. Together, we are shaping a future where sustainable trade becomes the industry norm, delivering lasting benefits for businesses, communities, and the environment.”

PSA Group Head of Operations and Sustainability, Eddy Ng, said: “As a leading global port operator and trusted partner to cargo stakeholders, PSA is well positioned to catalyse sustainable transformation in the ports and supply chain ecosystem by leveraging our global network of strategic nodes and energy hubs, in line with our Node to Network strategy.”

“This partnership with DNV and PIL reflects our belief that the path to a greener maritime industry is paved through collaboration, innovation, and a shared vision for a sustainable tomorrow. We remain dedicated to pioneering solutions that integrate sustainability into global trade flows while delivering the highest standards of operational excellence.”

Lionel Patrice Chatelet, Chief Commercial Officer, PIL, said: “PIL is fully committed to achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050. This partnership with PSA and DNV strongly advances our proactive approach to developing and implementing low-carbon solutions.”

“Through this MOU, we will collaborate to develop a viable model for tracking and verifying supply chain GHG emissions reductions, leading to the development of Green Service Offerings (GSOs) that can help our customers better understand and lower their emissions footprint. Together, we aim to further digitalise processes, enhance data transparency and drive the sustainable decarbonisation of our industry.”

Photo credit: PSA International
Published: 28 March, 2025

Voyage optimisation and weather intelligence solutions provider StormGeo on Thursday (6 March) shared how it is supporting Hapag-Lloyd’s sustainability journey with its s-Log and s-Insight digital solutions to comply with the new FuelEU Maritime regulation.

The following is an excerpt of the article: 

As the shipping industry continues its journey towards a decarbonized future with the new FuelEU Maritime regulation, Hapag-Lloyd relies on StormGeo’s future-proof digital solutions and services to stay compliant and achieve its long-term sustainability goals.

Operating around 300 container ships with a total transport capacity of more than 2.3 million TEU, Hapag-Lloyd is one of the world’s most prominent and leading liner shipping companies – and the largest fleet sailing under the German flag.

In addition to being one of the largest in the industry, Hapag-Lloyd is also one of the greenest. The company was the first to ever convert a large container ship to dual-fuel propulsion capable of using LNG and by end of 2025 will have a fleet of 13 LNG dual-fuel vessels in operation, thereby reducing CO2 emissions significantly. Furthermore, up to 50 of their ships already run on biofuels, such as bio-LNG and FAME, capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional fuels.

Navigating FuelEU Maritime Compliance

With these sustainability initiatives, Hapag-Lloyd has taken crucial steps toward compliance with the FuelEU Maritime regulation that came into effect on January 1st, 2025. This EU-driven initiative dictates that shipping companies must decarbonize their operations by reducing the GHG intensity of their vessels and increasing the use of sustainable fuels, such as biofuels, green methanol, ammonia and others.

To become fully compliant, Hapag-Lloyd demands a robust biofuel-compliant reporting system that can efficiently align biofuel consumption data with the specific demands outlined in the new regulation.

With these 300 vessels requiring proper data reporting, validation, and verification by their emission verifier DNV, Hapag-Lloyd relies on StormGeo’s s-Log and s-Insight solutions to accurately monitor, report, and validate GHG intensity for FuelEU Maritime compliance and all other GHG emission reduction schemes (EU ETS, CII, MRV, IMO DCS, CCWG, and ESI).

“It’s crucial for us to work with partners like StormGeo, who share our commitment to drive the shipping industry toward a more sustainable future,” says Heribert Riesenhuber, Director Fleet Energy Management at Hapag-Lloyd Hamburg Head Office. “Our decade-long partnership has yielded great solutions for environmental compliance that have benefited not only us but the industry at large, and we’re excited to continue our work with StormGeo to advance our decarbonization goals and tackle new reporting requirements, such as FuelEU Maritime.”

The Role of Digital Tools in Shipping Decarbonization

Hapag-Lloyd leverages a comprehensive solution for the entire FuelEU Maritime compliance process, enabled by StormGeo’s ship-to-shore data reporting system s-Log to easily accommodate biofuel reporting in anticipation of the new regulation – in addition to the data validation system s-Insight and direct access to regulatory and industry experts.

With these solutions, Hapag-Lloyd can accurately calculate the GHG intensity of biofuels used across its fleet according to the specific requirements of the FuelEU Maritime regulation.

The data reporting system collects all fuel consumption data, including biofuels, and runs strict validation rules to identify and flag any reporting errors, improve data quality, and increase accuracy. The validated consumption data is then calculated into GHG intensity data, which can automatically be shared with all major emission verifiers globally, including DNV, through APIs.

Through its Hamburg-based Fleet Performance Center, StormGeo’s experts are available to support Hapag-Lloyd throughout the entire process, including proactive discussions with verifiers.

“Our collaboration with Hapag-Lloyd is an example of the power of partnerships in the decarbonization of the shipping industry,” says Till Braun, Strategic Account Manager and Sales Director at StormGeo. “Sustainable maritime operations require close collaboration between different industry players, and we’re excited to work with and learn from Hapag-Lloyd and their partners to simplify compliance and enable proactive sustainable strategies for the benefit of the industry as a whole.”

Note: The full story on how StormGeo is supporting Hapag-Lloyd’s sustainability journey can be found here.

Photo credit: Hapag-Lloyd
Published: 7 March, 2025