Singapore, Rotterdam Port Authorities Boost Cooperation

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Port of Rotterdam Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today to exchange information on marine services and to jointly collaborate on research and development (R&D) in the areas of service efficiency and optimisation in the maritime and port sectors.

The MoU was signed by Andrew Tan, Chief Executive, MPA, and Allard Castelein, President and CEO, Port of Rotterdam Authority, at the Port Authorities Roundtable, organised by MPA in conjunction with the 10th Singapore Maritime Week.

“We are happy to partner the Port of Rotterdam Authority on this important initiative to promote the sharing of information and best practices between two of the world’s key ports and conduct research in common areas of interest,” said Tan.”This MoU will also help strengthen the maritime linkages between ports in Europe and Asia and forge closer cooperation at a time when ports have to work more closely with one another to ensure the safety, security and efficiency of global shipping.”

The MOU will cover the following areas:

• Information Exchange: On standards, procedures and regulatory frameworks of bunkering and other marine services, including the use of information technology, to facilitate services to vessels;
• Research and Development: To jointly collaborate on R&D relating to service efficiency and optimisation and new developments in the maritime and port sectors, such as LNG bunkering, green shipping and port optimisation.

“It is important that the world’s largest and most progressive ports exchange experiences and join efforts to improve their business where they can. I feel it as an obligation towards our customers and society as a whole to improve on such topics as safety, efficiency and sustainability,” Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO Castelein said.