Joint IMO- MPA Singapore event focuses on greener shipping

Jointly organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the IMO, the Future-Ready Shipping 2017 Conference will bring together maritime leaders to discuss the latest developments in maritime energy-efficient technologies and also study existing collaboration models and sustainability.

The event, being held on 25-26 September in Singapore under the theme “Enabling Maritime Technology Collaboration: Bridging Gaps; Strengthening Partnerships”, will gather about 240 maritime leaders and professionals to identify priority areas for international action and exchange best practices in maritime technology transfer and capacity building.

At the conference, two new members, Bureau Veritas and the Port of Rotterdam, will be welcomed to the IMO-GloMEEP Global Industry Alliance (GIA), in support of developing innovative solutions that will transit the shipping industry into a low-carbon future. Within the GIA, 16 like-minded industry players have joined hands to collectively address barriers to the uptake and implementation of energy-efficient technologies and operational measures.

Future-Ready Shipping 2017 is the second edition in the conference series which pioneered a global dialogue on maritime technology cooperation. The first, also held in Singapore in 2015, saw the launch of the GEF-UNDP-IMO Global Maritime Energy Efficiency Partnerships (GloMEEP) Project that is supporting 10 Lead Pilot Countries in addressing emissions from ships; as well as crystallised the concept of the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre Network that has since become a reality (EU IMO GMN Project).

Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA, reiterated Singapore’s commitment to the efforts of the IMO to promote greater understanding of energy efficient technologies for the shipping industry.

    “Both the Future-Ready Shipping Conference and UN-IMO GloMEEP Project contribute to the efforts of the IMO in building a more sustainable maritime transport system. As shipping is a global industry, close collaboration and dialogue amongst all stakeholders will help pave the way for the discussions ahead to tackle issues such as Greenhouse Gas emissions from international shipping. We will continue to support the efforts of the IMO in taking the lead on this.”

Further, on 27 September 2017, Singapore and the IMO will host a workshop on the “Development and implementation of Maritime Energy-Efficiency and Emissions Strategies”, the first of its kind locally, under the Singapore-IMO Third Country Training Programme.

In conjunction with the Future-Ready Shipping 2017 Conference, the inaugural workshop will provide a platform for participants to draw on the various insights shared during the conference and distill best practices and recommendations for countries seeking to embark on the development of national energy-efficiency and emissions strategies and policies. Representatives from the GloMEEP Lead Pilot Countries together with participants from other developing countries will be attending the workshop.