Hamburg and Singapore ports bolster maritime decarbonization ties

Germany’s Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) have taken the next step in their partnership by signing a letter of intent (Loi) to work on accelerating maritime decarbonization, digitalization, and cybersecurity.

The agreement, signed in the presence of Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and the Ministry of Transport, Amy Khor, and the First Mayor of Hamburg, Peter Tschentscher, builds upon the bilateral partnership between Singapore and Germany affirmed in April 2024.

As disclosed, the LoI covers cooperation in the maritime sector such as port efficiency, maritime safety, sustainability, and cybersecurity.

Specifically, in the area of decarbonization, HPA and MPA commit to share information on the development and uptake of zero and near-zero emissions fuels, including crew training and safety protocols for the handling and bunkering of such fuels, and facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge for on-shore power supply.

When it comes to digitalization, the parties agreed to explore pilot projects to facilitate efficient port calls between the ports of Hamburg and Singapore, and exchange information on port procedures and port systems involved in port clearance.

In terms of cybersecurity, the agreement entails exchanging cybersecurity information, including establishing operational links between the ports of Singapore and Port of Hamburg and providing cybersecurity training for maritime professionals and students.

Additionally, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial arm of the National University of Singapore (NUS), and Digihub, part of Germany’s initiative to foster digital innovations in logistics. This collaboration will focus on start-up exchanges, pilot projects on innovation.

This MoU is a result of discussions among MPA, maritime stakeholders, and the Hamburg business delegation comprising representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, Hamburg Invest, Digital Hub Logistics (Digihub) that visited during Singapore Maritime Week 2024.

Aside from Singapore, Germany’s HPA has also signed a joint declaration of intent with the South Korean Busan Port Authority (BPA) and Ulsan Port Authority (UPA) to collaborate on the decarbonization of maritime transport in the future by expanding the use of environmentally friendly marine fuels.