What to expect during the 18th Singapore Maritime Week

Running until 19 April, several events are expected to take place in the 18th Maritime Week.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has opened this year’s maritime week, which will feature over 50 events until 19 April.

With the theme “Actions meet Ambition,” the 18th edition of the Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) was organised around four pillars, namely decarbonisation, digitalisation, services, and talent development. 

More than 10,000 maritime professionals from around 40 countries, including delegates from governments, port authorities, international organisations, as well as experts are expected to gather at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre for the event. 

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez emphasised in his keynote speech the importance of ensuring safety of seafarers, and the green and digital transition in the maritime sector. He noted the agency is on track to adopt mid-term measures by late 2025 to cut greenhouse emissions, to reach net zero targets. 

“Seafarers will require training to be able to operate new technologies as well as zero or near-zero emission powered vessels safely. We need ‘early movers’ in the industry as well as forward-looking policy makers to take the necessary risks and secure the right investments that will stimulate long-term solutions for the sector,” he said.”

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A maritime dialogue was also held discussing supply chain resilience, digitalisation, and decarbonisation. The experts talked about the challenges the maritime sector faces when dealing with these, measures implemented to prepare the industry and its workforce, and possibly working with other stakeholders to address these challenges and capture new opportunities. 

In the following days, MPA’s Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC) partners, namely Australia, six ports in Japan, Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Port of Rotterdam, and Tianjin, are expected to gather to discuss GDSC initiatives to support IMO’s GHG emission reduction targets for international shipping. 

Several partnerships and agreements on areas like training and cybersecurity will also be inked with more than 30 partners during SMA 2024. Announcements will be also made on developments on low-emission maritime energy transition technologies, maritime artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and manpower.

So far, MPA and its 22 partners have signed a letter of intent establishing the  Maritime Energy Training Facility (METF). This aims to close the skills and competencies gap for the safe operation of new zero or near-zero emission-powered vessels.

Through the METF, MPA said it will be able to work with the Maritime Just Transition Task Force (MJTTF) in the rolling out of the Baseline Training Framework for Seafarers in Decarbonization. This will directly contribute to the joint IMO-MJTTF work to develop training provisions for seafarers in support of decarbonization of shipping, and complements the IMO’s ongoing review of the International Convention and Code on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers.

The SMW 2024 will also feature the inauguration of Expo@SMW trade exhibition to be held from 16 – 18 April. This aims to showcase maritime solutions by around 50 companies and startups.

Meanwhile, the third Maritime International Advisory Panel (IAP) is set to convene on 16 April to discuss ways to strengthen the maritime ecosystem and advance maritime digitalisation. Five new members will be joining this year, namely Inmarsat Maritime President Ben Palmer, Lloyd’s Register CEO Nick Brown, Microsoft Worldwide Public Sector Chief Technology Officer (Government) Greg Wilson, Seaspan CEO Bing Chen, and Standard Chartered Bank Managing Director and Global Head, Transportation Finance Abhishek Pandey. 

The public can also participate in SMW 2024 through the new Singapore Maritime Discoveries Tours.