Shipping emissions are attracting greater attention in the climate change agenda as they are responsible for about 3 per cent of total global emissions - 1 per cent higher than the airline industry’s carbon footprint.
As one of the busiest ports in the world, along with Shanghai and Rotterdam, Singapore has a part to play in the greening of the shipping industry.
Last year, more than 130,000 ships docked here, so it is about time that Singapore begins its first research centre for seafaring energy.
At its opening yesterday, the Centre for Maritime Energy Research (CMER) at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) launched a programme offering a total of $15 million for research into cleaner shipping technologies.
A memorandum of understanding for the programme was also signed by Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) chief executive Lam Yi Young and NTU Provost Bertil Andersson yesterday.
‘The MPA hopes the fund will help it develop greener shipping and port management,’ said an MPA spokesman.
Research areas include the probing of nuclear and fuel cell power for ships at sea, carbon capturing of emissions and electrification of ships.
Six projects will be chosen next month and will receive between $500,000 and $1 million in funding.
Funding for the programme will come from the MPA’s Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund ($8 million) and NTU ($2 million), over the next five years. They will also seek an additional $5 million from the industry.
Six industry partners have since signed up with NTU to collaborate with CMER. They are the American Bureau of Shipping, APL, DNV, Keppel Offshore and Marine Technology Centre, Sembcorp Marine and Rolls-Royce Singapore.
VICTORIA VAUGHAN
