Singapore Sees New Eco Partnership

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), a provider of global marine and offshore classification services, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) today to promote maritime research and development (R&D) and innovation.

Over the next five years, ABS and MPA will collaborate on maritime R&D in the areas of alternative/clean fuel and developing resilient, next generation port systems.

Both parties will also commit to promote and share maritime thought leadership on technology.

MPA Chief Executive Andrew Tan said: “MPA works closely with classification societies to undertake research activities in Singapore.

This MOU with ABS will strengthen Maritime Singapore’s R&D capabilities in the areas of green shipping, future port and maritime technologies.”

The ABS-MPA MOU covers the following areas:

• Alternative/ clean fuel research and technology, such as in liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering, covering both operational configuration studies, and risk assessment and safety.
• R&D on resilient, next generation port systems relating to the safety and security of new port facilities, and where processes, such as traffic management, safe navigation, security measures, situational awareness, decision making, and consequence management measures, have to be continuously and effectively assessed and updated.
• Promoting maritime technology to the Singapore maritime community through thought leadership such as workshops and dialogues.

This latest agreement builds upon ABS-MPA Maritime Technology Professorship programme at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

The aim of the programme is to build up SUTD’s capabilities in maritime education and R&D to further boost the growth of marine and offshore technology development in Singapore.

[mappress]
Press Release; July 24, 2014