MPA Singapore sets sights on new all-electric harbour craft

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has issued an Expression of Interest (EOI)  to invite interested parties to submit proposals to design and promote adoption of full-electric harbour craft (e-HC) in Singapore. 

The invitation, issued on 10 July, is expected to allow MPA to assess and validate proposals for suitable e-HC in line with its decarbonisation goals. The design would include vessel structure that is optimised for efficiency, integrated battery management and energy storage systems, and the essential safety systems that include emergency back-up, cybersecurity and firefighting capabilities.

According to MPA, these reference designs will complement the e-HC engineering knowledge and local capabilities developed by the joint industry-research consortiums supported by MPA and the Singapore Maritime Institute as well as other industry-led collaborations on research and development of e-HC for various use cases.

Additionally, to facilitate the development of green financing models for the development of the e-HC, the EOI will also invite proposals to demonstrate the commercial viability of various business models based on an aggregated harbour craft fleet to meet the demand at the Port of Singapore. 

Specifically, an aggregated fleet aims to improve utilisation rates, encouraging more companies, especially those with smaller fleet size, to electrify their harbour craft, while providing efficient and responsive services to meet the needs of ships calling into Singapore.  

For a start, the EOI will focus on the design and support for transition to electrification of the smaller harbour craft. These are generally in the range of 20 – 40 tonnes in gross tonnage, have an overall length of 10 – 20 metres, and a combined shaft power ranging from 200 – 400 kW. There are currently about 400 of these harbour craft deployed in the Port of Singapore. 

“The harbour craft sector is an integral part of our port ecosystem. The Expression of Interest is a significant first step to encourage and support early adopters of e-harbour craft,” Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of MPA, said.

“This will also support the development of green financing options and enhance the skills of our maritime workforce.”

The Ministry of Transport announced at Committee of Supply debate this year that the harbour craft, pleasure craft and tug boat sectors would be required to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 in line with Singapore’s national net zero ambitions. 

 From 2030, all new harbour craft operating in the Port of Singapore will have to be fully electric, be capable of using B100 biofuel, or be compatible with net zero fuels such as hydrogen.  

The invitation will stay open until 15 September this year.

To remind, MPA Singapore signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Shell Eastern Trading Pte Ltd (Shell) to work on electrification of harbour craft in Singapore.