Singapore and India eye green and digital shipping corridor

Singapore and India have signed a letter of intent (LoI) to collaborate on maritime digitalization and decarbonization projects, including identifying relevant stakeholders who could contribute to the effort and work towards formalizing the partnership through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a green and digital shipping corridor (GDSC).

When established, the Singapore-India GDSC is expected to enhance collaboration between the countries and help accelerate the development and uptake of zero or near-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emission technologies and the adoption of digital solutions.

It is understood that Singapore, as one of the key transshipment and bunkering hubs, fosters a dynamic research and innovation ecosystem, while India has the potential to become a major producer and exporter of green marine fuels.

Many industry players announced green fuel projects in India, the most recent being a group of six Japanese companies that signed an MoU to investigate investment options in a green ammonia production currently under development in the country.

Namely, IHI Corporation, Hokkaido Electric Power, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), Mizuho Bank, and Tokyo Century Corporation agreed to explore investment opportunities in a new green ammonia production facility to be established in Odisha, eastern India, by 2030, in collaboration with Indian renewable energy company ACME.

The facility has a planned annual production capacity of approximately 400,000 tons of green ammonia, which would be transported to Japan and utilized by domestic users.

It is important to note that the Indian government has ₹2 trillion (around $23.8 billion) allocated to expand domestic shipbuilding capabilities, breathe new life into the country’s maritime industry and position India among the top five shipbuilding nations by 2047.

The country’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) spotlighted that a coastal green shipping corridor, beginning with the Kandla-Tuticorin route, is going to be created, with the goal of promoting low-emission maritime transportation along domestic trade lanes.

According to MoPSW, plans are also underway for “major” efforts in India’s major ports, which include an ambition of 150 projects targeted for completion by September 2025. The government is said to be prioritizing digitalization and technology-driven efficiency across ports and in logistics.

As for Singapore, this March, together with Australia, it selected eight projects for funding as part of the countries’ $20 million initiative to help reduce emissions in the maritime sector.

The projects cover a range of activities, including innovations in the supply, transport, storage, dispensing and maritime utilization of hydrogen, ammonia and methanol, as well as safety and environmental monitoring and electrification.

It is also worth mentioning that the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Port of Rotterdam signed a cooperation agreement to further strengthen their efforts on the green and digital shipping corridor between Rotterdam and Singapore.

The deal builds on the success of the corridor as a driving force of maritime decarbonization and digitalization since its inception in 2022.

The two ports have since brought together 28 partners across the entire container shipping value chain to drive the deployment of sustainable fuels on the 15,000-kilometer shipping route and implement digital solutions for improved efficiency.

The collective ambition is to reduce GHG emissions of large container vessels on the corridor by 20-30% by 2030 while accelerating the adoption of global standards and solutions to facilitate efficient port calls, flow of goods and enable paperless handling.