Distinguished guests,

Industry partners,

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

Good morning.

Thank you to S&P Global Energy for bringing us together at APPEC.

 

A Maritime Ecosystem in Transition

1. We meet at a time of significant change for the maritime industry. Geopolitical tensions, disruptions to key shipping routes and shifts in global supply chains have made the operating environment more complex and less predictable.

2. At the same time, deeper structural shifts are reshaping our industry. The energy transition is changing how ships and ports are powered. Digitalisation is transforming how trade and port operations are managed, and artificial intelligence (AI) is opening new possibilities for how we plan, coordinate and make decisions.

3. Looking towards 2030, one thing is clear: the pace of change will only accelerate. For Maritime Singapore, this challenge goes to the heart of our economic model. Our prosperity depends on connections that reach far beyond our shores. Our response to a more fragmented world must therefore be to remain open, deepen our connections and make ourselves more useful to the partners who depend on them.

4. Our approach is anchored on three priorities: Growth, Resilience and Partnership.

 

Growth - Staying Relevant 

5. Let me begin with Growth.

6. Singapore's maritime success has always been built on relevance and trust - being a place where global shipping and energy companies can transact efficiently, operate safely and invest with confidence.

7. That trust continues to be reflected in our performance. Last year, Singapore handled a record 56.77 million tonnes of bunker sales. In the first half of 2026, bunker sales exceeded 28 million tonnes.

8. But what matters is not simply the volume. These numbers reflect the industry's confidence in Singapore as a reliable and trusted maritime and energy hub. But our longer-term relevance depends on the value we create for the companies that use our port and build their businesses here.

9. This value extends across the maritime ecosystem. Shipping companies need access to capital, commercial expertise, technical services and reliable dispute resolution.

10. Bringing these capabilities together with port operations creates a stronger environment for businesses to make decisions and execute them.

11. For an owner considering fleet renewal, or an energy company developing a new supply chain, that depth of expertise can be as important as physical connectivity.

12. Looking towards 2030, competitiveness will increasingly depend on reliable port calls, access to a wider range of marine fuels, and the ability to connect physical operations with trusted digital information. 

13. Long-term planning has always been a hallmark of Maritime Singapore's development. MPA is currently developing the Maritime Singapore Master Plan, which will chart our longer-term priorities and how we position Maritime Singapore for the opportunities and challenges ahead. We look forward to sharing more about the plan when it is ready in 2027.

14. Even as that work continues, we are not standing still. We continue to make investments today that will strengthen Singapore's competitiveness and position us for the future.

15. Tuas Port is one of the clearest examples. We are developing the port progressively to meet future capacity needs, while giving us the flexibility to incorporate new technologies as they mature. When completed in the 2040s, Tuas Port will have a handling capacity of 65 million TEUs annually, with automation and digitalisation enabling greater efficiency and reliability.

16. We are taking the same forward-looking approach to the energy transition.

17. Over the coming decades, we are likely to see the most diverse marine fuel mix in shipping's history. There may not be a single fuel of the future.

18. Our role as a global bunkering hub is therefore not to determine which fuel will prevail. Our role is to ensure that whichever fuels the industry adopts, Singapore is ready - with the infrastructure, standards and operational capabilities to support them.

19. Across the major alternative fuel pathways, we are making concrete progress. We have issued methanol bunkering licences and commenced methanol bunkering operations. For ammonia, we are developing the regulatory and operational frameworks needed to support future commercial deployment. We are also facilitating greater use of sustainable biofuels.

20. At the same time, we continue to expand our LNG bunkering ecosystem, with additional licences issued this year. This will broaden supply options as more LNG-fuelled vessels enter the global fleet. We have also just updated our LNG standards, while maintaining the high standards of safety and reliability that underpin Singapore's reputation as a trusted bunkering hub.

21. The transition to new marine fuels will require close collaboration across the maritime and energy value chains - to develop supply chains, establish trusted standards and give industry the confidence to invest.

22. The conversations we advance here at APPEC can continue at the Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition (SIBCON) which will be held next month in October, where the global bunkering community will come together in Singapore to explore emerging fuel pathways and how we can collectively translate ambition into safe and scalable solutions.

23. Growth, therefore, is about more than volume. It is about continuing to build the capabilities that keep Singapore relevant and trusted as the industry evolves.

 

Resilience - Adapting to Change

24. This brings me to our second priority: Resilience.

25. Recent years have shown how quickly geopolitical developments and disruptions at key maritime chokepoints can affect shipping routes and supply chains. We cannot eliminate uncertainty. But we can strengthen our ability to anticipate, adapt and recover.

26. For Singapore, this means investing in sufficient capacity and resilient infrastructure, while maintaining an ecosystem that can adapt as trade flows and operating conditions change. Tuas Port is therefore not only an investment in growth; its phased development also gives us the flexibility to respond to changing demand and technologies.

27. Increasingly, resilience is also digital. Secure systems, trusted data and reliable digital services are becoming as important to maritime operations as physical infrastructure.

28. Through digitalPORT@SG™, MPA has brought key regulatory and operational services onto a single digital platform. Initiatives such as the Maritime Single Window and Just-In-Time platform are helping to streamline processes and improve the efficiency of port calls.

29. Beyond regulatory services, OCEANS-X, Digital Bunkering and the Maritime Digital Twin are enabling trusted data sharing, better operational planning and the testing of new digital solutions.

30. Digital Bunkering is one example. Since 2025, it has strengthened the efficiency and transparency of bunker operations. We are now working with industry on the next phase, trialling capabilities to further strengthen the integrity and quality of bunker data shared between stakeholders and MPA.

31. But resilience is not just about infrastructure and systems. It is also about having a future-ready workforce - one that can adapt as technology changes the way maritime work is done.

32. This is why MPA continues to invest in our maritime workforce, working with industry and training partners to build new capabilities and equip our people for the opportunities ahead. Technology will create new possibilities, but its value will ultimately depend on how effectively our companies and people are able to use it.

33. One example is AI. MPA is working with industry partners such as the Singapore Shipping Association to accelerate AI adoption across the maritime sector. At the MPA-SSA Maritime AI Forum in July, maritime companies, technology providers and industry professionals came together to examine real-world applications of AI and practical pathways for adoption.

34. This is the approach we want to take - investing in our people, bringing industry and technology providers together, moving from possibilities to practical applications, and equipping our workforce to adapt with confidence.

35. Ultimately, resilience is about our ability to adapt - through our infrastructure, digital systems and people. By strengthening all three, we can build a maritime ecosystem that is more connected, more efficient and better prepared for the changes ahead.

36. Resilience means managing the disruptions of today without losing sight of the transformations shaping tomorrow.

 

Partnership - Creating Confidence to Invest

37. Which brings me to our third priority: Partnership.

38. None of these transformations can happen in isolation. No single company can build a global fuel transition. No single port can establish international standards. And no single country can decarbonise international shipping.

39. Progress depends on partnership - between governments and industry, between ports, between energy producers and users, and between technology providers and investors.

40. This is particularly important for new fuels and technologies. Shipowners need confidence that fuels will be available. Suppliers need confidence that there will be demand. Infrastructure providers need sufficient certainty to invest. And regulators need to ensure that new solutions can be introduced safely.

41. Our approach is therefore to work closely with industry - developing regulatory frameworks together, testing solutions in real-world conditions, and providing the clarity and confidence needed for investment.

42. But shipping is global. Solutions will have limited impact if standards and systems remain fragmented across borders. Through our Green and Digital Shipping Corridors, we are working with international partners to test solutions, develop common standards and improve interoperability.

43. Ultimately, partnership is about bringing together the right players to translate ambition into solutions that are safe, scalable and commercially viable.

 

Looking Ahead

44. As we look ahead, these three priorities reinforce one another. Growth depends on our ability to remain relevant. Resilience enables us to adapt through uncertainty. And Partnership gives industry the confidence to invest and innovate.

45. Events like APPEC matter precisely because they bring together such a diverse community - from different countries, disciplines and parts of the maritime and energy value chains. They allow us to exchange perspectives, challenge assumptions and build the relationships needed to turn ideas into action.

46. I encourage all of you to make the most of the conversations ahead. Ask the difficult questions. Share your experiences. And look for the partnerships and opportunities that can help us collectively navigate this period of transformation.

47. Maritime has always been an industry that looks beyond the horizon. The challenges before us are significant, but so too are the opportunities.

48. By continuing to invest ahead, adapt to change and work together, we can ensure that Maritime Singapore remains relevant, resilient and trusted in the years ahead.

49. Thank you, and I wish you all a fruitful and enjoyable session.