Your Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1      Thank you for inviting me to join the opening of the 19th Asia Pacific Maritime. It is my pleasure to be here, and I see many colleagues and close industry partners in the audience today. The strong participation of international and local friends and partners reflect our joint commitment to strengthen dialogue, collaboration and innovation in the maritime sector.

Resilience Amid Uncertainty

2      For decades, the maritime sector has played an important role in globalisation and economic growth, carrying over 80 percent of global trade by volume.

a. The reliability of maritime transport has underpinned the stability of international trade and connected markets from different parts of the world. This has enabled countries, including small city-states like Singapore, to participate in global supply chains.

3      However, the global economy and supply chains are facing a period of heightened uncertainty today. We have seen how recent developments, including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, have disrupted vital shipping routes and global energy supplies. This has underscored the fragility of the system that we depend on.

4      As the current situation evolves, we are working closely with other governments, agencies, and industry partners to ensure the resilience of maritime operations, both in our ports and other ports in Asia and our region.

a. The flow of goods through Singapore has remained stable in recent weeks, and there is adequate bunker supply to meet the industry’s demand. We will continue to monitor the developments closely together with our partners.

b. At the same time, the safety of seafarers and Singapore-flagged ships remains our utmost priority. Since the start of the conflict, we have issued several shipping advisories to all owners and operators of Singapore-registered ships (SRS). MPA remains in close contact with all SRS in the affected region, and we are also working closely with our stakeholders such as Singapore’s Information Fusion Centre, to monitor the status of our vessels to ensure their safety and resilience during this period of uncertainty.

5      Against this uncertain backdrop, I am reminded of a defining strength of the maritime industry, which is our ability to constantly adapt and evolve, which is an enduring spirit that represents our sector and all of us here today.

a. Other than geopolitical and supply chain disruptions, the industry has also been adapting to rapid technological advances, including automation, artificial intelligence, as well as alternative fuels and propulsion technologies, all while maintaining safety and reliability.  

Riding the Next Wave of Opportunity

6      We will turn these challenges that we are facing today into new opportunities to improve the sector’s resilience and chart our next phase of growth.

a. In particular, I believe that digitalisation, automation, and cleaner energy solutions will help strengthen supply chain resilience, improve operational efficiency and safety, and support the transition towards a more sustainable maritime future.

b. Let me share some concrete examples of how we are already seeing this transformation unfold here.

7      Let me start with digitalisation. One example that we have been working closely with the industry on is our digital bunkering initiative. All licensed bunker suppliers in Singapore have provided digital bunkering services as a default since April 2025. This initiative helps to improve efficiency, accuracy and transparency by replacing paper-based processes and documentations.

a. This has led to savings of close to 40,000 man-days annually for our bunkering industry.

8      Secondly, on automation, we are also witnessing this transformation at our ports through the continued development of Tuas Port, which will be the world’s largest fully automated port when completed.

a. We will open four more berths at Tuas Port this year, including the Tuas Living Lab. The living lab will provide a real-world testbed to test new innovative solutions that will power the next generation of highly automated port operations, such as the deployment of autonomous vehicles.

9      Thirdly, on alternative fuels, as the world’s largest bunkering hub, Singapore continues to strengthen its capabilities to support the evolving needs of the global shipping industry and the uptake of low carbon fuels from Singapore.

a. For example, we awarded three methanol bunkering licenses last year. We also opened applications for additional liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering licenses in January, with applicants required to demonstrate their readiness to supply LNG fuels with lower greenhouse gas emissions, such as bio-methane.

b. Beyond our shores, we are also working like-minded countries globally, through Green and Digital Shipping Corridors (GDSC), to explore and promote innovative solutions for a more connected and sustainable maritime ecosystem. 

c. Together, these mark important steps in building our capabilities, strengthening supply chains, and preparing Singapore for a multi-fuel future.

10    Of course, innovation isn’t just about the big players introducing new ideas. The next breakthrough often starts small: a fresh perspective from a start-up with the courage to try something different.

a. That is why we started the PIER71 Initiative with the National University of Singapore (NUS) Enterprise to catalyse promising solutions that allow the industry to adapt to a rapidly changing environment.

b. We are glad to see that our annual Smart Port Challenge (SPC) has grown from strength-to-strength and received a record 288 submissions from 35 countries last year.

c. We will be holding the 10^th edition of the SPC this year and welcome interested start-ups to join us on this journey.

Building A Collective Vision

11    We cannot do all of these alone, and close collaboration with our partners across the maritime ecosystem is necessary to ensure success.

a. This is why the government needs to work together with industry players, researchers, and technology providers to brainstorm and contribute to the transformation of the sector in this complex environment. 

12    Announced earlier this month by the Ministry of Transport, we will be developing the Maritime Singapore Master Plan.

a. The plan will guide the sector’s long-term strategies to strengthen our competitiveness, grow Singapore as a centre for maritime technology and innovation, and develop a skilled maritime workforce.  

13     MPA and the Ministry of Transport will engage businesses, industry stakeholders, and the public to gather feedback and ideas to co-create a common vision of the sector.

a. We look forward to working with our key business leaders in the coming months to discuss on how Singapore can better seize the opportunities and manage the challenges for the industry.

14    I am glad that we have events, such as APM, as this plays an important role to shape a common vision for the sector and raise the profile of the marine and maritime industry.

a. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate the organisers for a very successful APM exhibition and conference here in Singapore.

b. Apart from APM, we also have an exciting calendar of events for the maritime community to gather, such as the ongoing International Conference on Maritime Arbitration (ICMA), the Singapore Maritime Week which is happening next month, as well as Marine Money Week Asia, and the Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition (SIBCON) later in the year.

c. These events allow us to bring together such a diverse group of maritime professionals from around the world to discuss trends, share our concerns, exchange ideas, and explore new partnerships.

15    I wish everyone here a productive and engaging Asia Pacific Maritime conference and look forward to the conversations that will shape the future of our industry together.

16    Thank you.