Singapore government renews maritime research MOU with Norway

SMS Chee Hong Tat announced various maritime digitalisation and innovation initiatives, as well as great support for start-ups working in the maritime sector at the 5th Singapore Maritime Technology Conference.

20 April 2021 Singapore’s Maritime an Ports Authority (MPA) announced plan to boost Maritime startups to explore digital solutions, as follow:

A new Maritime Innovation and Technology (MINT) Fund grant scheme will provide maritime technology start-ups in Singapore a leg-up to develop scalable solutions. In addition, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will push for wider industry adoption of digitalisation initiatives such as electronic bills of lading (eBL) and electronic bunker delivery note (eBDN) to drive productivity for the sector. These were announced by Mr Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Transport, at the 5th Singapore Maritime Technology Conference (SMTC). The SMTC is one of the key events organised in the Singapore Maritime Week 2021.

MPA also announced that it will be extending its Memorandum of Understanding with the Research Council of Norway (RCN) for an 8th term. Under the terms of the MOU, RCN and MPA will jointly support research in Maritime Digitalisation and Sustainable Shipping and organise the International Maritime-Port Technology and Development Conference. This MOU will encourage maritime research institutes in Singapore and Norway to grow partnerships with maritime technology companies in both countries and to develop new capabilities.