Wärtsilä and MPA team up for smart port solutions

Finland-based Wärtsilä Voyage and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on smart port innovation and digitalisation.

Under the MoU, the partners will initiate, develop and promote innovative solutions that accelerate digitalisation, Wärtsilä informed.

Additionally, the partnership seeks to foster interoperability in e-navigation and ship-to-shore secure data communications to enable port-to-port optimisation and establish reliable, cyber safe and cost-effective information exchange pathways between all ecosystem partners to increase operational efficacy.

The scope of the collaboration also includes the development and field-testing of intelligent vessel capabilities to improve interoperability of onboard and onshore systems for well-coordinated and sustainable operations.

“Together, we will work with other industry stakeholders, such as Wärtsilä’s customers whose vessels would be calling on the Port of Singapore. Subject to their consent, we will use the vessel’s nautical data to test-bed reliable and secure information exchanges using applications like Wärtsilä Navi-Port”, said Chris Chung, director of Digital Innovation and Strategic Projects at Wärtsilä Voyage.

Chung further explained that this will help implement standard application programming interfaces (API) between participating vessels and MPA’s Just-In-Time (JIT) coordination platforms in digitalPORT@SG, and digitalOCEANS to enable optimal arrival and departure of vessels from the port.

The partnership will see Wärtsilä Voyage and MPA assess data and cyber threats to vessels’ shipboard systems, ship-to-shore communications system and MPA’s JIT operations as well.

“At MPA, we have been leading the development and implementation of digital port clearance technology to improve efficiency in the world’s leading hub port. This collaboration with industry partners like Wärtsilä, using its Navi-Port for JIT planning and coordination on the digitalPORT platform, further solidifies our commitment towards digitalisation to support port-to-port optimisation and maritime decarbonisation”, said Koh Chin Yong, chief information officer and acting director (IT), MPA.

Wärtsilä Voyage and MPA have been collaborating on R&D initiatives over the years, such as the IntelliTug Project, next-generation navigational simulator for Centre of Excellence in Maritime Safety, a Ship Traffic Control Simulator, and a Full mission bridge simulator for enhancing the port’s training capabilities.

Said to be the busiest transhipment hub in the world, earlier this year, Singapore was ranked as the top global shipping centre for the eighth year running.