Around 200 professionals from the shipping, logistics and liquefied natural gas development sectors converged on Singapore today to take part in the Sustainable Marine Transportation Conference organised by the Norwegian Embassy in Singapore and partners Innovation Norway and the Norwegian Business Association in Singapore.
The global shipping industry’s carbon footprint has come under increasing scrutiny from governments, lobbyists and environmental protection agencies in recent times. The question of how shipping’s carbon emissions can be cut without harming the industry’s commercial imperative is now a central issue for all ship owners.
Innovation Norway, which is the commercial section of the Norwegian Embassy in Singapore, assembled the team of speakers from industry, authorities, regulators and research institutes. It is the second such conference in the Sustainable Maritime Transportation series to be held in Singapore.
The conference held in Singapore heard that more than ever, the use of new, alternative forms of energy were being considered by ship owners and the wider maritime community and the greater use of such ‘clean’ energy as liquefied natural gas (LNG) is now high on the industry agenda.
The conference featured a high powered line up of international speakers from the LNG, shipping and related maritime sectors.
They included Lam Yi Young, Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA – Pictured ), Thor Jorgen Guttormsen, President of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (pictured), Graham Holland, Director of Strategy and Risk, Singapore LNG Corporation and Morits Skaugen, the Chief Executive Officer of IM Skaugen SE.
Thor Jorgen Guttormsen said: “Like Norway, we believe Singapore has a major role to play in the development of the LNG markets and the greater use of LNG in the global shipping industry. As the world’s leading bunker port, it is obvious that Singapore has a central role to play in this global discussion.
“If countries like Norway and Singapore can seize the initiative in the LNG debate and actively encourage the use of LNG among owners and operators, both countries will be in a powerful position as the markets develop. If Singapore is proactive in the development of LNG facilities, production and continues to encourage its use, then it will cement it position as the world’s leading bunker port.
He noted that Singapore and Norway had worked together for many years on shipping issues such as this and other commercial and regulatory issues. “We believe Singapore and Norway – as two of the world’s leading maritime nations – can work together to great effect to promote LNG and its use in the maritime community. Our Combined voice is very powerful on the world stage,” he said.
Singapore in particular had a major opportunity to play a global leadership role in terms of technical, systems and legislation opportunities and what Singapore did would be followed around the world, he added.