MarineTech Conference and Sea Asia Exhibition at Singapore Maritime Week 2023

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) continues to transform the future of the maritime sector by collaborating with research institutes and industry on digitization and cybersecurity to strengthen global maritime supply chains.

Global Thought Leadership at the MarineTech Conference

The MarineTech Conference was opened on April 25 by Chee Hong Tat, Secretary of State for Finance and Transport. Held from April 25-26, 2023 at the Marina Bay Sands Convention and Exhibition Center, the conference brings together more than 50 global industry speakers from 16 countries to discuss innovation challenges and opportunities, share ideas on emerging technologies and identify ways to accelerate the maritime transformation.

14 round tables and speaker sessions will discuss topics such as smart ports and ships, green and digital shipping corridors, innovation and start-ups, decarbonization and green technologies, maritime cybersecurity and technologies to empower people of sea. Key foreign speakers include Francis Zachariae, Secretary General of the International Association of Maritime Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), as well as representatives of major shipping companies, innovation and venture capitalists, and industry associations such as the International Association of Ports and the Digital Container Shipping Association.

Accelerate digitization through collaboration

MPA and PSA Singapore renewed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Port Technology Research and Development Programme. As part of the MoU, MPA and PSA will commit $12 million each to support transformational R&D projects.

The US could export hydrogen to Japan to boost decarbonization

The conference also hosted the signing of other MOUs and agreements between industry partners, including:

• ZEBOX co-innovation agreement with Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, PSA unboxed and Synergy Marine Group to develop breakthrough solutions with startups for operational efficiency, asset optimization and decarbonisation, workflow automation and the future of work.
• Master Agreement Framework for Maritime AI Research Program led by the A*STAR Institute of High Performance Computing to drive industry transformation and adoption of maritime AI solutions.
• MoU by Coastal Sustainability Alliance and its new partners to support the decarbonization of Singapore’s domestic port vessel sector by developing an ecosystem of electric vessels, including charging stations, logistics and marine services, as well as upgrading the workforce .

Showcasing a Vibrant MarineTech Innovation and Sustainability Ecosystem at Sea Asia 2023

Sea Asia 2023 was launched on April 25 by Baey Yam Keng, Senior Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Sustainability and Environment and the Ministry of Transport. Organized in conjunction with Singapore Maritime Week, Sea Asia is a flagship fair held every two years to provide industry professionals with a platform to connect, collaborate and explore the latest trends shaping the future of the maritime industry.

From April 25 to 27, 2023, the 9th edition of Sea Asia will feature more than 300 exhibitors from more than 70 participating countries showcasing innovative solutions across the entire maritime value chain. The event will feature more than 10 national pavilions, as well as zones dedicated to specific areas such as marine fuels and lubricants, decarbonization solutions, and marine supplies. Within the MarineTech zone, the PIER71™ pavilion presented various technological and R&D solutions developed by maritime companies, start-ups and technology developers within the framework of the PIER71™ programme.

Sea Asia is an emblematic fair that is held every two years to offer professionals in the sector a connection platform

One such exhibitor is SunGreenH2, a Singapore-based cleantech start-up that had won a special mention in the 2022 edition of the PIER71™ Smart Port Challenge for its proposal on its hydrogen-producing electrolyzers. Since then, it has won opportunities to test its high-performance electrolyser on Jurong Island, capable of producing twice as much green hydrogen from purified water with 10% less energy consumption.

Beyond Singapore, the start-up will deploy its first commercial electrolysers with Spain’s Naturgy Innovahub and has also been invited by the Hamburg Government to demonstrate its electrolyser at the German Institute for Aerospace Research ZAL in May 2023.

The fair will also offer a unique opportunity and space for attendees to engage in knowledge sharing sessions and dialogues led by industry professionals. Titled “Knowledge Sharing Theatre,” there will be more than 25 exhibitor-led presentations and product demonstrations over three days.

Cybersecurity Network of Port Authorities Information Managers

In conjunction with Singapore Maritime Week 2023, an inaugural Port Authority Chief Information Officers Cybersecurity Network (PACC-Net) Table Top Exercise (TTX) will be held on 27 April 2023 to test and exercise the information exchange protocols.

The TTX will involve Information Chiefs and Information Security Chiefs from international port operators and authorities, such as the MPA, the Montreal Port Authority, the Moroccan National Ports Agency, the Klang Port Authority, the Port of Seattle and the Tanger Med Special Agency (Port Authority). The TTX will simulate ransomware affecting multiple ports in all regions, and PACC-Net members will develop a collaborative response to share critical information early and manage ransomware.

The PACC-Net proposal was presented by MPA at the 5th Port Authority Roundtable in Kobe, Japan in 2019 and launched in October 2020. The PACC-Net aims to enhance cybersecurity awareness within the maritime sector and facilitate early sharing of cyber information to counter potential maritime cybersecurity threats. These collaborations are important as the industry becomes more digitized and connected, as a cyber incident in one location can quickly impact the supply chain globally.