Business

SMW 2026: 10th Smart Port Challenge expands support to scale maritime start-ups

MPA and NUS Enterprise have launched the 10th edition of the PIER71 SPC, with expanded support to help maritime start-ups scale, secure funding, and deploy their solutions.

Published

3 months ago

April 22, 2026

Admin

SMW 2026: 10th Smart Port Challenge expands support to scale maritime start-ups

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial heart of the National University of Singapore, on Wednesday (22 April) launched the 10th edition of the PIER71 Smart Port Challenge (SPC) at Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) 2026, with expanded support to help maritime start-ups scale, secure funding, and deploy their solutions.

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport, Mr Murali Pillai, MPA Chief Executive, Mr Ang Wee Keong, and NUS Enterprise Vice President (Ecosystem Building), Professor Benjamin Tee officiated at the launch. The event drew over 200 international start-ups, investors and industry partners, reflecting continued global interest in Singapore as a platform for maritime innovation. Please refer to Annex A for the launch programme.

Since 2018, PIER71 has supported some 170 start-ups, which have collectively raised over SGD 150 million in funding. One example is SPC alumnus Groundup.ai which uses artificial intelligence to predict equipment failures and optimise asset performance. The company has since scaled across Asia and the Middle East, securing SGD 5.4 million in Series A funding following an initial SGD 2.3 million seed round.

Building on nearly a decade of developing early-stage start-ups, this year’s SPC introduces two new initiatives – Mentors-in-Residence Plus (MIR+) and Venture2Capital – to strengthen commercialisation and growth.

MIR+ pairs start-ups looking to scale with experienced maritime professionals and overseas accelerator partners to support market entry and expansion. Venture2Capital strengthens access to funding by connecting start-ups with investors and providing structured training and support for fundraising. These initiatives will extend PIER71’s role beyond early-stage acceleration to supporting start-ups in scaling and entering new markets.

In addition, MPA has recently introduced an innovation track under the Maritime Cluster Fund – Business Development scheme. This aims to anchor maritime companies’ innovation, technology, and venture-building capabilities in Singapore, encouraging them to scale from Singapore while contributing to a vibrant and globally connected maritime ecosystem.

SPC will expand its global outreach in 2026 through targeted engagement in key markets. These include China, France, India, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, the UK, and the USA. These engagements will connect start-ups with investors and maritime partners, while showcasing opportunities in Singapore’s maritime ecosystem.

Applications for SPC 2026 are now open. The programme will introduce 20 innovation opportunities across four areas — Next-Generation Port, Smart Shipping, Maritime Green Technologies, and Digitalisation, supported by 19 innovation partners, with more expected to join.

Under Maritime Green Technologies, one of the innovation opportunities include examining approaches to help shipowners and operators quantify, verify, and manage emissions exposure in near real time to respond effectively to carbon pricing, regulatory reporting, and commercial accountability.

Shortlisted start-ups will undergo a 10-week SPC Accelerate programme, which provides tailored mentorship, workshops and opportunities for market validation. Cash prizes will be awarded to top-performing start-ups at the SPC 2026 Grand Finale on 11 November 2026, with thematic prizes sponsored by companies including ABS, OCBC, PSA Singapore & PSA Ventures, and RINA.

Following the programme, start-ups may apply for MPA’s Maritime Innovation and Technology (MINT) Fund to support proof-of-concept, pilot projects and product development. The fund has supported 68 start-ups, with over 30 innovative technologies deployed in the maritime sector.

Mr Ang Wee Keong, MPA’s Chief Executive, said, “As SPC enters its 10th edition, the focus is not just on generating new ideas, but helping start-ups scale and deliver real impact. By strengthening connections between start-ups, industry and investors, we are supporting more solutions to move from pilots to deployment, and strengthening Singapore’s position as a platform for maritime innovation.”

Dr Tan Sian Wee, NUS Senior Vice President (Innovation & Enterprise), said, “The key challenge in maritime innovation is not building solutions, but ensuring these can be deployed at scale. Since 2018, PIER71 has supported nearly 170 start-ups, which have collectively raised over SGD 150 million in funding.

“This is a good start, but more will be done to help these companies overcome barriers to adoption and expand into global markets. With Mentors-in-Residence Plus and Venture2Capital, we are bringing start-ups closer to industry and investors, strengthening support for their international growth.”

Note: Applications for SPC 2026 are open at https://pier71.sg until 15 June 2026. For the full list of innovation opportunities, see Annex B.

Photo credit: PIER71
Published: 22 April, 2026

Up Next

SMW 2026: Singapore explores remote operations for LNG bunkering with industry project

Don't Miss

SMW 2026: MPA and UNCTAD team up to support maritime decarbonisation and digitalisation

Vessel Arrest

Singapore: Cook Islands-flagged tanker “Arthgallo” placed under Sheriff’s arrest

Cargo ship was arrested at 5pm on 20 July while the arresting solicitor listed was law firm Ming Law Asia.

Published

9 hours ago

July 27, 2026

Admin

Cook Islands-flagged oil/chemical tanker Arthgallo was arrested in Singapore waters on Monday (20 July).

The vessel was added to the list of vessels under Sheriff’s arrest in Singapore’s court system.

According to the list, the vessel was arrested at 5pm and the arresting solicitor listed was law firm Ming Law Asia. The ship is currently held at Raffles Reserved Anch/ 4611D Raffles Reserved.

No details were provided in the list regarding the reason behind the arrest.

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 27 July, 2026

Winding up

Singapore: Notice of intended dividend issued for Nan Ho Maritime, Nan Xin Maritime

Creditors will need to produce proofs of debt to liquidators of Nan Ho Maritime and Nan Xin Maritime by 7 August, according to Government Gazette notice.

Published

9 hours ago

July 27, 2026

Admin

Two notices to declare the intended dividend of Nan Ho Maritime Pte Ltd and Nan Xin Maritime Pte Ltd to their creditors have been posted on the Government Gazette on Friday (24 July).

The following are the details of the notices of intended dividend:

Name of Company : Nan Ho Maritime (Pte.) Ltd. (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No. : 200814315C
Address of Former Registered Office : 21 Bukit Batok Crescent, #22-70 WCEGA Tower, Singapore 658065
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 7th day of August 2026
Name of Liquidators : Abuthahir Abdul Gafoor & Yessica Budiman
Address of Liquidators : c/o AAG Corporate Advisory Pte. Ltd., 11 Collyer Quay, #07-02 The Arcade, Singapore 049317

Name of Company : Nan Xin Maritime (Pte.) Ltd. (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No. : 201701966W
Address of Former Registered Office : 21 Bukit Batok Crescent, #22-70 WCEGA Tower, Singapore 658065
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 7th day of August 2026
Name of Liquidators : Abuthahir Abdul Gafoor & Yessica Budiman
Address of Liquidators : c/o AAG Corporate Advisory Pte. Ltd., 11 Collyer Quay, #07-02 The Arcade, Singapore 049317

Photo credit: steve pb from Pixabay
Published: 27 July, 2026

Bunker Fuel

Peninsula: Red Sea hostilities drive bunker supply crunch and MedECA compliance challenges

As Red Sea hostilities continue to force widespread maritime diversions around the Cape of Good Hope, bunker company Peninsula warns of a “perfect storm” for global tanker operators.

Published

9 hours ago

July 27, 2026

Admin

As Red Sea hostilities continue to force widespread maritime diversions around the Cape of Good Hope, bunker company Peninsula on Friday (24 July) warned of a “perfect storm” for global tanker operators.

The unprecedented surge in tonne-mile demand is now intersecting with stringent Mediterranean emissions regulations, threatening to more than double operational costs and severely tighten bunker supply at alternative key ports.

With the Bab el-Mandeb Strait increasingly bypassed, vessels are exiting the Red Sea via the Suez Canal and navigating westbound through the Mediterranean to reach Asia.

Peninsula noted that this detour could more than double the normal tonne-mile demand of a Bab el-Mandeb eastbound exit. For a typical Suezmax tanker, the diversion will require around 1,500 metric tonnes (mt) of additional fuel, at a cost of circa USD 800,000, and an emissions cost of roughly 3,800 mt of CO2.

Spot rates for Suezmax vessels – the largest tankers that can transit the Suez Canal fully laden – are already increasing, causing a scramble to cover the cargoes before the tonne-mile effect kicks in.

Kenny MacLean, Chief Operations Officer at Peninsula, said: “The industry could be dealing with a sudden, significant increase in fuel consumption. This is more complex than simply plotting a longer course – it will require a fundamental recalibration of voyage economics that will squeeze global bunker supply at a time when demand already outstrips supply.”

Beyond the raw cost of fuel, Peninsula is highlighting a critical regulatory blind spot for rerouted vessels – the Mediterranean Emissions Control Area (MedECA). Under these rules, vessels transiting the entire Mediterranean must burn fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.1%, rendering standard Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) non-compliant.

With European authorities increasingly deploying “sniffer drones” to remotely analyse vessel emissions in real-time, operators must switch to compliant Marine Gas Oil (MGO) or suitable biofuels before entering the region. Failure to secure compliant fuel risks severe fines and costly vessel detentions.

The sudden shift in maritime traffic could redraw the global bunkering map. Peninsula expects significantly increased demand in alternative physical supply ports along the revised route, including Port Said, Malta, Gibraltar, Algeciras, Las Palmas, Algoa Bay, and Port Louis.

Richard Alvarez, Global Head of Sales at Peninsula, added: “Operators are navigating a regulatory and logistical minefield. Securing compliant fuel conveniently, in the right location, in a rising price environment is now the defining challenge of these deviated voyages.

“As supply tightens at alternative bunker hubs, the ability to rely on suppliers with a globally integrated supply network and deep access to multi-product cargos will prove critical to minimise disruption and avoid the costs of non-compliance.”

Photo credit: Peninsula
Published: 27 July, 2026