Singapore, 29 March 2022 - Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) has underlined its commitment to reducing shipborne emissions by signing a partnership agreement with the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) to support and accelerate efforts towards helping the industry achieve its decarbonisation obligations. 

The agreement which was signed today in Singapore, will pave the way for greater cooperation between both organisations, in the fields of knowledge and data sharing when it comes to maritime decarbonisation initiatives, such as green corridors and pilot programmes, to help accelerate the adoption of low- or zero-carbon solutions.

With the global shipping industry looking at new fuel technologies to drastically reduce GHG emissions, such as LNG that is currently available, and ammonia and methanol moving forward, the opportunity to collaborate on such projects and initiatives is vitally important.

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Ms Caroline Yang, President of SSA, welcomed the agreement, saying it is an important step forward in SSA’s determination to play a leading role in reducing shipboard emissions.

She said: “We are delighted to be working with the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, especially as Singapore intensifies its decarbonisation efforts in the maritime sector, with the recent unveiling of a blueprint that sets out strategies and goals to be achieved by 2050 and the resources to support these initiatives.”

 

Professor Lynn Loo, CEO of GCMD, said: “Collaboration and alignment across the industry is key to decarbonising the sector. SSA is a trusted advisor and partner to more than 470 member companies across the ecosystem as well as related government agencies. This partnership is an opportunity for GCMD to understand industry concerns around the technical and standards challenges to better ideate pilots and trials, as well as share insights from other decarbonisation projects through SSA’s technical committees. GCMD can also help to support the shaping of standards and guidelines through our involvement in the various standards development organisations. 

 

About the Singapore Shipping Association 

Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) represents a wide spectrum of shipping companies and other businesses allied to the shipping industry. It is a national trade association formed in 1985 to serve and promote the interests of its members and to enhance the competitiveness of Singapore as an International Maritime Centre.

To achieve its objectives, SSA engages and collaborates with the shipping industry key stakeholders and is a trusted advisor and partner to related government agencies. SSA is also actively involved in promoting the interests of shipping in Singapore and internationally.

Currently, SSA represents over 470 member companies; comprising ship owners and operators, ship managers, ship agents and other ancillary companies such as shipbrokers, classification societies, marine insurers, bunker suppliers, maritime lawyers, shipping bankers and technology start-ups amongst others.

 

About the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) was formed on 1 August 2021 with funding from the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and six founding partners, namely BHP, BW, DNV Foundation, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Ocean Network Express and Sembcorp Marine. The Centre’s mission is to help the maritime industry reduce its carbon emissions as quickly as possible by shaping standards, deploying solutions, financing projects, and fostering collaboration across sectors.

Strategically located in Singapore, the world’s largest maritime fuelling hub and second largest container port, the Centre will coordinate regional and global decarbonisation efforts. In January, the Centre awarded its ammonia bunkering safety study to a DNV-led consortium, with Surbana Jurong and the Singapore Maritime Academy as partners.