Towards Cleaner Greener & Shipping

From ship-to-ship liquefied natural gas bunkering to a sustainable digital port, Jon White discovers how Singapore envisages the next chapter of its maritime story

- Jon White

The global sustainability movement is rewriting the rules for every maritime player.

Global maritime communities are embracing smart maritime technology while port authorities are committing to sustainable international shipping. At the International Maritime Organization (IMO), targets have been set to reduce long-term greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% of 2008 levels by 2050.

Recognising that digitalisation, disruption, and decarbonisation lie in the future of maritime, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has been driving positive changes through its leadership and close collaboration with the industry.

MARITIME SINGAPORE GREEN INITIATIVE

A decade ago, MPA became the world’s first maritime administration to launch a comprehensive pro-environment initiative. Launched in 2011, the Maritime Singapore Green Initiative (MSGI) received strong support from the maritime industry. When MSGI was renewed in 2016, it included two new programmes, namely: the Green Awareness Programme and the Green Energy Programme.

MSGI was reviewed again in 2019 to ensure its relevance. Along with its five-year extension to December 31, 2024, the enhanced MSGI featured a fresh focus on decarbonisation.

Senior Director / Chief Engineer (Engineering & Project Management) and Chief Sustainability Officer of MPA, Er Tham Wai Wah, affirms that, as a key maritime nation, Singapore is committed to promoting environmental sustainability. “Under the enhanced MSGI, new carbon emissions-related incentives will replace existing sulphur emissions-related ones in the Green Ship Programme (GSP) and Green Port Programme (GPP),” he shares.