Japan and Singapore tie nautical knots on port-to-port MASS trials

June 9, 2025, by Sara Kosmajac

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Japanese shipping titan Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and NYK Group’s Monohakobi Technology Institute (MTI) have joined forces to collaborate on port-to-port maritime autonomous surface ship (MASS) trials.

As disclosed, the initiative was announced during a workshop in Singapore, attended by various players from the Japanese and Singaporean maritime industry, ranging from shipping players to classification societies and research institutes.

According to NYK, the MASS trials are to test the interoperability of autonomous ships with port-based systems, including the MPA’s Vessel Traffic Information System, and clear the path for the establishment of “best standards and practices” for navigation safety, route planning, fuel consumption, AI-based decision-making, communications as well as cybersecurity in the Port of Singapore.

Commenting on the development, Hideki Suzuki, President of MTI, highlighted: “This joint workshop marks an important step forward in the development of autonomous navigation systems.”

Muhammad Segar, MPA Chief Marine Officer, further remarked that the collaboration represented “an important platform” to test and validate new operational concepts in Singapore’s port waters. Segar added that he expected the trials to help “advance smart, safe and sustainable autonomous shipping.”

As informed, the joint initiative is an extension of the MPA-NYK memorandum of understanding (MoU), which the two parties penned back in July 2024 with the intention of deepening their partnership and giving speed to maritime decarbonization, digitalization and manpower development efforts.

At the time of the announcement, the MPA Singapore and NYK said they would work on promoting the safe use of alternative marine fuels, including biofuels, methanol and low- or zero-carbon ammonia through a phased implementation strategy.

It was also noted that the effort would see the players explore the creation of maritime training programs focused on ammonia-fueled vessels and broader sustainability competencies.

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MASS technologies offer the promise of transforming the shipping industry. By integrating the crew’s operational expertise with AI-driven software, the use of maritime autonomous surface ships is projected to improve onboard safety while contributing to sustainability and reducing fuel consumption.

Singapore, the world’s second-busiest port in terms of total shipping tonnage, has been actively involved in the development and testing of MASS via a range of initiatives. For instance, in 2020, Singapore, China, Denmark, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, and South Korea inked an agreement to tackle the challenges concerning autonomous ships in ports together.

That said, a global adoption of these technologies hinges on a number of factors, with the regulatory framework (or lack thereof, currently) standing out as one of the most pressing matters to be addressed. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is, at present, developing a mandatory MASS Code to be implemented in 2028. However, per Norwegian classification society DNV, the code is not expected to be fully obligatory by 2032.

In September last year, the UK-based classification society Lloyd’s Register and Japan’s shipping major Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) also warned that without a regulatory framework and the human element (deemd as ‘irreplaceable by the two organizations), the wider adoption of maritime autonomous surface ships may not turn into reality very soon.

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