Singapore and China maritime cooperation has strengthened with three new agreements inked between multiple parties over the last week.
The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore inked three memorandums of understanding with regional maritime administrations and partners in China, Singapore’s maritime regulator said in a release on Tuesday.
The new agreements cover collaboration in digitalisation, decarbonisation, talent development, and information exchange.
MPAS-Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission
The first was inked between the MPAS and the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission last Friday in Shanghai at the Port Authorities Roundtable 2023.
The two authorities hope to foster “mutual learning through information exchange on port and shipping developments, maritime policies and regulations, as well as training and research”, MPAS said.
“The MoU also aims to co-develop digitalisation and decarbonisation solutions for shipping and port development,” MPAS said.
The SMTC is the government agency responsible for overseeing and managing transportation-related matters in the city of Shanghai. The Port Authorities Roundtable is a by-invitation event for leaders of port authorities around the world.
MPAS-China Classification Society
The second agreement was inked on Monday between the MPAS and the China Classification Society at the Global Sustainability Transport Forum in Beijing.
The CCS is a non-profit organization in China that primarily focuses on the classification, certification, and inspection of ships and offshore structures.
The MPAS-CCS agreement was quite broad, with the two parties opting to explore collaborations on numerous fronts. This included reducing greenhouse gas emissions using zero or near-zero-emission marine fuels and marine battery technology; co-innovating smart ships technologies; and supporting the development of maritime talent through scholarship programs and internships.
MPAS-Tianjin Port & Shipping Authority
Lastly, MPAS is even looking towards Northern China, with an agreement inked with Tianjin Port & Shipping Authority.
Tianjin Port is one of the largest ports in Northern China, around 170 kilometers from Beijing, and is one of the fastest-growing Chinese ports in terms of annual container throughput.
They have agreed to “discuss issues” around maritime digitalisation and decarbonisation. They will also look into cooperating on shipping regulatory frameworks, port developments, and maritime training.
