In an effort to establish Singapore as a major global port and international maritime hub and to promote and protect its strategic interests, The Maritime Transport and Ports Authority of Singapore (MAS) has collaborated with the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) to launch an online platform called NextGEN to serve as a meeting place for industry leaders, innovators and researchers to share decarbonization initiatives in maritime transport.
In the face of the interaction of the ecosystem with the increase in the proportions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, It is necessary to contain these emissions to rebalance the entire ecosystem, This goal requires the concerted efforts of organizations, citizens, institutions and governments in all their vital sectors. Foremost among them is the trade and shipping sector.
Figures show that the shipping sector is responsible for about 3% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Since it hosts 80% to 90% of world trade, It alone accounts for nearly 9% of global transport emissions. The sector faces significant challenges in meeting ambitious targets towards decarbonization using currently available technologies and fuels. Whether low carbon or carbon-free. Therefore, initiatives must be put forward to achieve the initial objectives of the strategy, By guiding the maritime sector to the next generation of technological innovation and fuels with low or zero carbon levels.
Towards enhancing the sustainability of the shipping sector, The interactive online platform Next Gen was launched in September. During the “Innovation Forum towards Low and Zero Emissions”, This initiative is the result of the cooperation of the International Maritime Organization and the Maritime Transport and Ports Authority of Singapore. The authorities supervising this initiative derived the name of the platform in English (NextGEN) from the abbreviation of the phrase “green and efficient future navigation”. It is an interactive and global online platform for cooperation and incubation of decarbonization initiatives in the field of shipping.
The forum, convened by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with the support of the Norwegian government, aims to support government and private innovation to accelerate the maritime sector’s transition to a future of low or zero greenhouse gas emissions.
This platform supports international efforts to address global warming and environmental challenges. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has estimated that maritime trade is poised to expand by 40% to 115% by 2050 compared to 2020 rates. For now, Fossil fuels meet 99% of the energy demand within this sector, This means that greenhouse gas emissions could grow by 50 to 250 percent by 2050. This compares to 2008 levels.
The platform highlights international collaborative projects led by the International Maritime Organization and the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centres, It provides technical assistance, technology delivery and capacity-building to support decarbonization activities in shipping activities in small island developing States and least developed countries. In addition, The platform brings together stakeholders from around the world to share insights, identify gaps and vulnerabilities, and work to address them. The Singapore government also organized an inaugural meeting for the platform during Singapore Maritime Week 2021. It brought together more than 70 representatives from governments, the maritime sector, international organizations and academia.
For now The platform includes more than 154 projects addressing 13 types of sustainable fuels, It is spread across 547 partners and geographies between Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, the Pacific Islands and the Caribbean. It focuses on 4 main categories of initiatives: infrastructure, ships, capacity building and fuel. Under the latter category, for example, a recent initiative for bilateral cooperation between Singapore and Australia to accelerate the spread of hydrogen in maritime and port operations appears.
In the capacity-building category, An example of the establishment of the Global Marine Decarbonization Centre is given in a collaboration between the Maritime Transport and Ports Authority of Singapore and 6 strategic partners. This was contained in the recommendations of the report of the International Advisory Group submitted to the Singapore Government. The project seeks to explore joint industrial projects and promote the deployment of solutions, It has attracted the interest of dozens of institutions from companies concerned with shipping, engineering, trade, associations, research centers, energy actors and others. This is what the center will work on to deliver real value to this sector.
By creating a one-stop platform for decarbonization projects in the world of maritime transport, This initiative will serve as a focal point and reference tool for those interested and concerned in the public and private sectors, It will also provide networks and essential opportunities for cooperation, exchange of information and experience, and facilitate capacity-building.
Whereas this endeavour cannot be undertaken without coordinated international efforts, sharing practices and ensuring equal opportunities, The platform can be a springboard for a comprehensive challenge that calls for a cross-border and cross-sectoral effort.
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