A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Norway, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), with the intention to collectively undertake technical cooperation activities to assist developing countries in their efforts to reduce emissions from ships and in ports, according to MPA's release.
Participants will work together to exchange experience, knowledge and best practice, and undertake joint resource mobilization with a view to cooperate and collaborate on actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships and the activities of ships in ports, within the frameworks of the NextGEN Connect initiative and the GreenVoyage2050 Project.
The NextGEN Connect initiative was established between the IMO and the MPA in April 2022. The initiative aims to bring industry, academia and global research centres together, to offer inclusive solutions for maritime decarbonization for trials along shipping routes.
The IMO-Norway GreenVoyage2050 Project was established in May 2019 by the IMO, with funding from the Government of Norway to support developing countries, including Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), in their efforts to implement the Initial IMO Strategy on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships.
The MoU was signed on 20 March by Mr. Kitack Lim, Secretary-General of the IMO, Mr. Sveinung Oftedal, Chief Negotiator for Green Shipping of the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, and Mr. Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of the MPA, on the side-lines of the 14th Intersessional Working Group on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 14), convened at the IMO Headquarters in London, United Kingdom.
The International Maritime Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for measures to improve the safety and security of international shipping and to prevent pollution from ships. It is also involved in legal matters, including liability and compensation issues and the facilitation of international maritime traffic. It was established by means of a Convention adopted under the auspices of the United Nations in Geneva on 6 March 1948 and met for the first time in January 1959.
MPA was established on 2 February 1996 with the mission to develop Singapore as a premier global hub port and international maritime centre, and to advance and safeguard Singapore’s strategic maritime interests. MPA is the driving force behind Singapore’s port and maritime development, taking on the roles of port authority, maritime and port regulator and planner, international maritime centre champion and national maritime representative. MPA partners with industry, research community and other agencies to enhance safety, security and environmental protection in our waters, facilitate maritime and port operations and growth, expand the cluster of maritime ancillary services, and promote maritime digitalisation and decarbonisation, R&D and manpower development. MPA is responsible for the overall development and growth of the maritime domain and Port of Singapore. In 2022, Singapore remained one of the world’s busiest transshipment hubs with a container throughput of 37.3 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
The Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment was established in 1972 and has the main responsibility for ensuring integrated governmental climate and environmental policies. Environmental challenges are complex and affect all actors in society. Developments in the various sectors are largely determined by sectoral policies. In efforts to create sustainable development, environmental considerations need to be integrated into policy making in all areas of society. In addition to initiating, developing and implementing its own measures and actions, the Ministry also acts as promoter and coordinator to ensure that the authorities in the various sectors implement the environmental policies in their particular areas. Green shipping policies and the IMO environmental agenda and conventions is also within the responsibility of the Ministry.