MPA Singapore plans for ambitious decarbonisation goals

T

he Maritime Singapore Decarbonisation Blueprint charts ambitious and concrete long-term strategies to build a sustainable Maritime Singapore.

The Blueprint will contribute to Singapore’s commitments under the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, Paris Agreement and the Initial IMO Strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships, and strengthen the country’s value proposition as a leading global hub port and International Maritime Centre.

The Blueprint takes on board the recommendations made by the International Advisory Panel on Maritime Decarbonisation, and inputs from a two-month long public consultation and sector-specific consultations. The Blueprint outlines seven key areas which MPA will focus on to support the decarbonisation of the maritime industry:

• Port terminals;
• Domestic harbour craft;
• Future marine fuels, bunkering standards and infrastructure;
• Singapore Registry of Ships;
• Efforts at IMO and other international platforms;
• Research & Development and talent; and
• Carbon awareness, carbon accounting and green financing.

In order to move more decisively on maritime decarbonisation, MPA will commit additional funds of at least $300 million over the next ten years to support initiatives outlined in the Blueprint.

At the same time the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) announced the following key points:

(A) Strengthen Capabilities of the Port and Maritime SMEs

Enhance Next-Generation Port Capabilities

#1 As more port activities migrate to Tuas, vessel traffic is expected to increase in scale, density, and complexity in the country’s busy port waters. To maintain safety and efficiency of Singapore’s global hub port, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will develop the Next Generation Vessel Traffic Management System (NGVTMS) to replace the current Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS).

#2 With data analytics and machine learning to identify traffic hotspots as well as advanced algorithms to predict potential collision situations, the NGVTMS will provide MPA and vessel masters with more accurate and timely information to react to and avert incidents.

#3 In addition, the NGVTMS will leverage the on-going digitalisation of the maritime industry and global developments such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s e-Navigation initiative to enhance ship-shore digital information exchange. This will provide MPA and the port users with better situational awareness based on common sets of information, enabling better communication and thus operational efficiency and safety.

#4 The NGVTMS will also leverage potential communication technologies (e.g. VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) and 5G) to provide reliable and secured means of communications between ship-ship and ship-shore.

#5 MPA has completed a three-year Innovation Programme in 2021 to develop R&D initiatives and new operating concepts to enhance navigation safety and efficiency of vessel traffic management. NGVTMS will be developed through prototyping, leveraging Open System Architecture and agile methodology. The first system will be deployed at the new Port Operations Control Centre (POCC) in Tuas Port by 2025.

Provide 5G Coverage in Port Waters

1.  There is a strong impetus for Maritime Singapore to develop a robust digital maritime ecosystem supported by reliable digital network connectivity to enable real-time data exchange and smart applications in the maritime domain. Specifically, new applications such as maritime drone surveillance, Remotely Assisted Pilotage Advisory (RAPA) and remotely piloted/autonomous vessels, will require low latency, high bandwidth and secure wireless connectivity in the port waters, which a 5G network can potentially provide.
2. MPA is leveraging the 5G open testbed at the Maritime Drone Estate (MDE) to spur the development, adoption, and commercialisation of 5G solutions as Singapore forges ahead in 5G innovation.
3. As more data-driven use cases are unlocked through experimentation, research and development activities, it will be crucial to extend 5G network connectivity to achieve full-service coverage of the port waters beyond the MDE.

Sea Transport Industry Digital Plan (IDP)

#1 As part of the SMEs Go Digital programme, the Sea Transport Industry Digital Plan (IDP) is MPA’s joint initiative with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), to make going digital simple for Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The IDP currently covers the ship agency, harbour craft and bunkering subsectors. It provides SMEs in those subsectors with a step-by-step guide on digital solutions suitable for each stage of growth as well as corresponding training programmes to raise their employees’ digital skills.

#2 To date, there are 9 pre-approved digital solutions available for adoption by maritime SMEs under the Sea Transport IDP for Ship Agency, Harbour Craft and Bunkering subsectors.

#3 The Sea Transport IDP will now be expanded to include all subsectors in Sea Transport (such as ship chandlers, ship brokers, marine surveyors, ship management, ship operators). MPA will also extend funding support for adoption of pre-approved solutions beyond 31 December 2022 to benefit eligible maritime companies on an ongoing basis. With the expansion of the Sea Transport IDP, more than 3,000 SMEs in the Sea Transport subsectors will be eligible to apply for the co-funding to adopt pre-approved digital solutions.

#4 Maritime companies can tap on the Maritime Digitalisation Playbook (MDP) a free resource for the industry, to help them uncover digitalisation opportunities and map out concrete steps towards digital transformation.

(B) Expand Physical and Digital Connectivity of Transport Hub

Electronic Bills of Lading (eBL)

#1 MPA is promoting the digitalization of shipping documentations starting with the Bill of Lading (BL) as a key legal document in cross-border trade. The benefits of adopting electronic BL (eBLs) are:

• Cost and time savings with the removal of hardcopy BL transportation costs
• Faster documentation transfers and enabling integrated/automated workflows as an electronic document
• Enhanced security and reduced susceptibility to forgery, fraud and loss
• Enhanced cash flow and trade financing opportunities

#2 However, adoption has been hampered by difficulties such as lack of certainty on the legal status of eBLs and lack of interoperability between different systems.

#3 The Ministry of Communications and Information and IMDA, together with MPA and Ministry of Law, worked to amend relevant legislations to recognise electronic transferable records, including eBLs. In 2021, Singapore was amongst the first shipping and trading hubs to enact a legislative framework for electronic transferable records like eBL.

#4 On technical trials, Singapore and Rotterdam have successfully demonstrated title-transfer of an eBL across different platforms in March 2020, through IMDA’s TradeTrust framework. There are also other ongoing discussions with IMDA and Commerce Bureau of Shenzhen under the Singapore-Shenzhen Smart City Initiative.

#5 In April 2021, MPA, supported by IMDA, Singapore Customs, ESG and Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA), launched a Maritime Innovation and Technology (MINT) Fund Call-For-Proposal (CFP) to catalyse eBL projects for cross-border trade, with two main focus:

• Develop and trial eBL solutions for different cargo segments. With the supportive business environment and legal framework, Singapore is well placed to facilitate digital trade collaboration, innovation and commercialisation.
• Encourage industry adoption – Given that BL is a key legal document shared across shipping and supply chain partners, we want to help Singapore-based companies to accelerate learning and adoption of eBLs and electronic trade documents.

#6 Following a six-month CFP and review of 11 eBL proposals, MPA will be awarding three eBL projects to develop and trial solutions across container, dry bulk, and wet bulk segments, involving various supply chain partners (i.e. solution providers, carriers, shippers, traders, banks, and consignees).

(C) Attract and Nurture Talent in Maritime Singapore

Support Local Seafarers 

1. Seafaring experience is important in the maritime sector, and can open doors to good shore-based careers. However, it is a long and challenging journey. Attaining the highest level of professional certification of competency can take eight years or more, and the job requires frequent stints away from home.
2. MPA and tripartite partners (unions and industry) are rolling out a Sail Milestone Achievement Programme (SailMAP) to spur local seafarers to attain key milestones in their seafaring training and career progression. MPA and the tripartite partners will set aside $12.5 million to fund SailMAP to enhance the retention of local seafarers. Over the next five years, up to 250 local seafarers can receive up to $50,000 each, when they attain key career milestones.
3. In addition, the Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA) and MPA will roll out the Graduate Mechanical Engineer Conversion Course for individuals with mechanical engineering backgrounds to become shipboard marine engineers in a shorter timeframe from the current 120 weeks to 22 weeks.

Career Conversion Programme (CCP) for Sea Transport Professionals and Associates

#1 Workforce Singapore (WSG) and MPA launched the Career Conversion Programme (CCP) in the Sea Transport sector to support mid-career switchers taking on new roles in the sea transport sector such as port operations managers, shipping analysts, and ship agents. Since 2018, around 200 mid-career workers had undergone skills conversion to take up new roles.

#2 Under the enhanced CCP, 30 PMETs have been successfully placed in new roles in 14 companies.

#3 There are three pathways for this career conversion programme:

• Place-and-Train: An Individual is hired by a participating employer before undergoing training to take on a new role
• Redeployment: An existing employee whose job is at risk of redundancy due to business transformation, is put through the training to assume new job roles within the company
• Job Redesign (JR) Reskilling: An existing employee whose job role has been redesigned due to business transformation and will be provided with training to take on the redesigned job role and assimilate into the same company

#4 Administered by Singapore Polytechnic (SP), participants of the programme will undergo either 3 or 6 months of facilitated classroom training with modules such as Maritime Regulations & Conventions, Fundamental Data Analysis, and Introduction to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a Fuel in Shipping, and On-the-Job Training (OJT) at the participating company.

Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG)

1. MPA collaborates with the Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG) to place and train inmates in the harbour craft industry. Under the partnership, MPA and YRSG offer second chances to suitable inmates to be harbour craft crew and facilitate their placement as trainees with participating harbour craft operators. This also helps them to secure employment and reintegrate into society after leaving prison.
2. Eight ex-offenders have benefitted from this so far, and we hope to increase the number over time.