MPA launches maritime decarbonisation centre

The centre aims to spearhead Singapore’s maritime industry’s energy transition.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has launched the formation of the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD).

The GCMD will have a $120mn fund from MPA and six founding partners namely BHP, BW Group, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Foundation Det Norske Veritas, Ocean Network Express, and Sembcorp Marine.

GCMD, which will officially launch on 1 August, aims to collaborate with the industry to help the maritime sector reduce greenhouse gas emissions, implement identified decarbonisation pathways and create new business opportunities. The set-up of a decarbonisation centre was first announced during the Singapore Maritime Week in April 2021, as one of the recommendations in the International Advisory Panel for Maritime Decarbonisation’s report submitted to the Singapore Government.

Thirty-one organisations ranging from shipping companies, classification societies, research centres, traders, energy players, terminal and tank operators, engineering companies, financial institutions to industry associations have already expressed interest to collaborate with GCMD. GCMD will be working with these organisations to establish strong partnerships and initiatives as part of its objective to deliver value to the industry globally.

GCMD will be led by international experts on clean energy transition and emerging solar technologies. 

Prof Lynn Loo will be appointed as the CEO. She will be responsible for working with GCMD’s Governing Board to develop and execute the overall strategy for the new centre. She will also take the lead in building partnerships with the maritime industry, government agencies, international bodies, and other regional and international maritime decarbonisation centres.

Lynn is currently the Director of the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University. Under her leadership, the Andlinger Center released the Net-Zero America Study that laid out technological pathways by which the U.S. can stop contributing to a build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by 2050. 

Meanwhile, Dr Sanjay Chittarajan Kuttan will be appointed as the Chief Technology Officer to lead technology and research development and pilot trials initiated by the centre. He will also be involved in standards development of future marine fuels, as well as strengthening the linkages with local research institutes and international decarbonisation centres to advance maritime decarbonisation efforts. Sanjay is currently the Executive Director of the Singapore Maritime Institute and is responsible for building deeper Research and Development (R&D) capabilities within the local maritime R&D community and funding key maritime research projects with the industry.

In partnership with the industry, GCMD will facilitate decarbonisation technology development and test-bedding, including future marine fuel trials with the industry and research communities in Singapore. To this end, MPA is looking at developing waterfront facilities to support these activities. MPA is working with relevant agencies to study the viability of locating GCMD along with other maritime developments at Marina South.