SG inks deal on maritime decarbonisation with IMO and Norway

The deal will aid developing countries in reducing carbon emissions from ships and seaports.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Norway have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to join efforts in reducing carbon emitted by ships and their port activities.

All efforts will be within the framework of the IMO and Singapore’s NextGEN Connect initiative and IMO and Norway’s GreenVoyage2050 project. 

“Participants will work together to exchange experience, knowledge and best practice, and undertake joint resource mobilisation to cooperate and collaborate on actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships and the activities of ships in ports,” the MPA said.

The agreement was signed on 20 March at the 14th Intersessional Working Group on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships by Kitack Lim, Secretary-General of the IMO, Sveinung Oftedal, Chief Negotiator for Green Shipping of the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, and Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of the MPA.

"IMO is pleased to combine the capabilities of the IMO-Norway GreenVoyage2050 project and the IMO-Singapore NextGEN Connect initiative to collectively implement green shipping activities, in particular, those that can support the development of low and zero-carbon fuels and related bunkering infrastructure,” IMO’s Lim said.

NextGen Connect initiative was established last April 2022 to synergise global research and solutions for maritime decarbonisation.

GreenVoyage2020 Project began in May 2019 to aid developing countries and their efforts to reduce GHG emissions from ships.