Asia Pacific Maritime (APM), concluded with a forward-looking outlook. Three days of bustling business activity on the exhibition floor, including signed deals, announcement of new offices and facilities in Singapore, and the launch of new technology and products among 1,518 participating companies from 60 countries, point towards a slowly recovering maritime industry. APM 2014, which took place 19 to 21 March 2014, received a total of 14,239 visitors from over 64 countries, an 11 per cent growth from its last edition in 2012.
APM delegates heard first-hand insights on key growth areas in the Asia-Pacific region, Asia’s impact on container shipping and dry bulk demand, as well as viable solutions to improve efficiency, cut cost and make a green impact in the face of tightening environmental and energy policies imposed on the maritime industry.
Green Solutions presented during the event An indisputable relationship between going green and future cost-savings is drawn from the series of high-powered conferences held at APM, themed ‘Repositioning for Growth in the Asia Pacific Region’. “Eco-shipping can obtain Return On Investment (ROI) for ship owners,” said Mr Peter Sand, BIMCO Chief Shipping Analyst. “Bunker costs have turned the cost picture upside down as oil prices continue to increase year-on-year,comparing a Medium Range tanker of similar characteristics operating in 2004 and 2014. In 2004, the total bunker cost is US$33.6m, and in 2014, the cost has hiked to US$111.6m. Together with tighter sulphur restrictions on global basis in the near future, the situation calls for the shipping industry to embrace technology to attain economics and eco-nomics concurrently.” Mr Egil Rensvik, Science and Technology Counsellor of the Royal Norwegian Embassy, Singapore & Innovation Norway – South and Southeast Asia, also said that there is a large potential for energy reduction on board vessels. Over the last 10 years, Norway shipping companies have good experience in the use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) for ferries and ROPAX vessels in Northern Europe. As an example of new technology moving forward, some shipping lines for coastal trade are exploring the expansion of the battery-driven ferry concept, which helps save 15 per cent of the energy. One of the newest green solutions launched at APM is the BASSnetTM Fleet Management Systems by BASS, the leading provider of fleet management software. The new software will enable ship operators to build an integrated solution for ship owners to better manage their fleet in compliance with environmental and energy policies, and meet the maritime industry’s aim of reducing a vessel’s negative impact on the environment. Mr Per Steinar Upsaker, CEO of BASS, said: “You need to be able to monitor the situation before you can make any changes to make it better. The new Environmental Management module helps shipping companies, ship operators and ship personnel to calculate the amount of pollution crea ted compared with the cargo carried and the distance sailed. This helps to manage and reduce fuel consumption and lower greenhouse gases and other emissions.” At the inaugural Ballast Water Technology Asia Conference held alongside APM 2014, Mr Praveen Kumar Mishra, Senior Principal Surveyor and Vice President Certification, Indian Register of Shipping (IR Class), estimated that so far, no more than five per cent of vessels have been fitted with Ballast Water Treatment Systems (BWTS). The Port Based Mobile Ballast Water Treatment Facility, or ‘BWTBoat’, developed by IR Class, could be a viable solution to the challenges stemming from the impending ratification of the Ballast Water Convention, introduced by the International Maritime Organisation.It provides a flexible facility that ships can use to receive treated water or discharge ballast water for a service fee. The approach can be implemented in regional and coastal trading zones all over the world, wherever small and medium-sized vessels serve only regional ports, saving time and money for the industry, as well as the environment. “There is no doubt that the maritime industry is still facing challenges such as the mismatch in figures between capacity growth and cargo demand. However, I believe that the maritime industry will be in a better shape at the next edition of APM in 2016,” said Mr Mahesh Sivaswamy, Chairman & CEO of Transworld Group Singapore |
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