Opening Address by Mr Jeffrey Siow, Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance, at the Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium

Excellencies,

Mr Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), 

Mr Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO),

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1.     Good morning and a very warm welcome to Singapore. I am pleased to be joining you for the Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium.   

2.     This event brings the global aviation and maritime communities together for the first time. We are honoured to have many distinguished guests joining us here in Singapore. 

3.     For most of you, Singapore is a familiar place. We are a small island nation, barely over 700km2.

4.     Driving from one end of Singapore to the other takes about an hour. Flying across the island takes about three minutes.

5.     Therefore, connectivity to the world is existential for us. We are a major aviation and maritime hub, connected to around 170 cities by air and over 600 ports across 120 countries. We serve as a hub for international travel and trade, enabling the flow of people and goods across the region and the world. To enable this, Singapore has invested in upgrading our airport and seaport over the years, as well as in our systems for air traffic and vessel traffic management.

6.     Because of Singapore’s connectivity, we can see and feel how global trends are shaping aviation and maritime first-hand.

a.     The global geopolitical and economic environments have become more fragmented and volatile. Tariffs, sanctions, and regional conflicts have altered air and shipping corridors. This has resulted in rising costs and heightened uncertainty for both businesses and customers. 

b.     Businesses have responded to this increased uncertainty by making adjustments to their own supply chains, which has moved from just-in-time production to just-in-case redundancies. This was already happening before COVID-19, but the pandemic accelerated this trend. This reconfiguration has affected freight networks and port operations worldwide.

c.     At the same time, consumer demand for transport is growing faster than capacity. Passenger and cargo traffic by air and sea continue to grow. Countries are striving to build infrastructure and capability to meet the rising demand, but the uncertainty is making long-term investments in infrastructure difficult

d.     On longer-term issues – climate change has brought sustainability to the forefront of transport policy and operations. Consumers and industry are calling for greener fuels and technologies, as part of the global energy transition.

e.     Technology is also reshaping the aviation and maritime sectors through robotics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and real-time monitoring, to list a few. This presents both opportunities and risks. 

7.     These are broad trends that will affect both aviation and maritime for some time to come. But in the more immediate term, two key challenges will shape the development of aviation and maritime for some time to come. One is safety, and the other is sustainability which is an increasingly urgent imperative. Let me first talk about safety.

Safety

8.     Safety is the foundation of both aviation and maritime. It underpins our confidence in air and sea travel.

9.     But maintaining safety has become more demanding as air and sea traffic grow, and operating environments become more complex. 

a.     In aviation, flights operate in structured and tightly regulated airspace. This is because the margin of error is very small, particularly during high-risk phases like take-off and landing, or in adverse weather.

b.     In maritime, vessels in open waters sail without central traffic control. Ships must rely on onboard navigation systems, aids to navigation and local guidance near ports to ensure safe passage.

c.     In both sectors, new technologies are being used to improve efficiency and productivity. But they also bring new risks, such as cybersecurity threats and system vulnerabilities. 

d.     We must ensure that our people are well-equipped to use these technologies safely, and make the right decisions even under pressure. This is why training remains critical.

10.    In conjunction with this Symposium, we are holding the 3rd Asia Pacific Summit for Aviation Safety and kicking off the 12th International Safety@Sea Week tomorrow.  

Sharing experiences amongst industry, regulators and other stakeholders will enhance our collective ability to anticipate and prevent incidents.

Sustainability

11.    Sustainability is also imperative, given the existential threat of climate change.

Aviation and maritime each contribute about 3% of global emissions.

12.    Aviation and maritime decarbonisation must be balanced against economic development. The ICAO and IMO are leading the way by adopting 2050 net-zero carbon emissions goals and setting out the measures to achieve them. 

13.    While the ambitions of the two sectors are aligned, the decarbonisation pathways are unique. 

a.     In aviation, the key is the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel. This can reduce emissions by up to 80% compared to fossil jet fuel on a life-cycle basis. An important advantage is that sustainable aviation fuels can be used with existing aircraft engines and airport infrastructure.

b.     On the other hand, for shipping, there are various alternative marine fuel options, such as liquefied natural gas, biofuels, methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen. The availability of infrastructure for these fuels varies across shipping routes. The maritime community is therefore preparing for a multi-fuel future.

14.    Across both sectors, there is an urgent need to scale up the production, supply and use of the respective alternative fuels. Financing and investments are crucial.

a.     The ICAO Finvest Hub will support this effort by connecting project developers with potential investors, to facilitate funding for sustainable aviation fuel production.

b.     We also look forward to the adoption of the IMO Net-Zero Framework this October. This includes a carbon pricing measure with rewards for the use of zero or near-zero emission fuels and technologies. 

15.    Navigating these challenges will require the sustained efforts of States and stakeholders globally. 

Importance of ICAO and IMO to Global Development

16.    No country nor company can do this by themselves. In an increasingly unpredictable global climate, multilateral institutions like the ICAO and IMO are pillars of a rules-based international order.

a.     They establish clear rules-based frameworks that support the safe and undisrupted movement of people and goods via air and sea, even during crises. 

b.     They serve as platforms for collective action and global cooperation. This is especially important for issues which transcend national borders. 

c.     They promote capacity building for Member States, ensuring that no one is left behind.

d.     And they also provide steadfast leadership, even as the sectors navigate periods of transition and turbulence.

17.    Singapore has been a strong supporter of the ICAO and IMO since we joined both organisations in 1966. We are privileged to have served as a member of the ICAO and IMO Councils since 2003 and 1993 respectively. We actively participate in over 100 committees, panels and expert bodies, to help develop global approaches, rules and standards. These include areas such as safety, security, facilitation and decarbonisation.

Capacity building through training

18.    A central pillar of Singapore’s engagement with the ICAO and IMO, in support of the global aviation and maritime communities, is capability building through training.

19.    To date, Singapore has run aviation and maritime training courses for more than 1,800 participants under the Singapore-ICAO Developing Countries Training Programme, and over 2,400 participants under the Singapore-IMO Third Country Training Programme. 

20.    Going forward, I am pleased to announce that Singapore will make further contributions to training.

21.    First, we will extend the Singapore-ICAO Developing Countries Training Programme. Singapore will provide 330 fellowships and 10 scholarships valued at US$1.8 million over the next 3 years. These will support officials from developing ICAO Member States in attending courses on aviation safety and security, aviation management, and air traffic services.

22.    Second, under the Singapore-IMO Third Country Training Programme, we will commit a second tranche of US$3 million to the Enhanced Technical Co-Operation and Training Package for IMO and its Member States. These funds will support courses for seafarers on alternative fuels, digitalisation, marine casualty investigations and other areas.

23.    Third, Singapore will embark on a new global initiative with ICAO and IMO to co-develop and deliver specialised training programmes for officials and practitioners across both the aviation and maritime sectors. This collaboration recognises the increasing interdependencies between the aviation and maritime sectors, and the common challenges they face. With the expertise and support of ICAO and IMO, these training programmes will better equip the international aviation and maritime communities, to build stronger and more resilient international transport systems.

24.    Finally, Singapore is pleased to launch a new transport training programme for Small Island Developing States. This programme will focus on the unique challenges that Small Island Developing States, like Singapore, face in the aviation and maritime sectors. We will launch the first course in 2026, for officials from the Caribbean Island States. Courses for the Pacific Island States and others are also in the pipeline.

Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium Programme

25.    Looking at the work ahead of us in tackling emerging challenges and seizing opportunities in aviation and maritime, it is timely that we have come together to discuss these issues.

26.    We are honoured that Mr Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of the ICAO, and Mr Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the IMO, and over 500 delegates, including Ministers, regulators, industry leaders and experts from more than 80 countries and 90 organisations, have joined us for the Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium.  

27.    We have an exciting programme ahead of us. We will hear from distinguished Ministers and industry leaders from the aviation and maritime sectors. I am confident that their perspectives on opportunities and potential partnerships across the aviation and maritime sectors will give us new insights. I encourage all of you to cross-pollinate ideas and practical actions that we can take as decision-makers, regulators, and industry leaders. 

28.    This afternoon will feature a rare – in fact, the first – in-person joint dialogue by Mr Salazar, and Mr Dominguez, Secretaries-General of the ICAO and IMO respectively. Both of them are no strangers to Singapore, but we are proud that this is the first time they are coming together to share their views at a common platform.

29.    Both Mr Salazar and Mr Dominguez bring with them many years of experience in the aviation and maritime sectors.

a.     Since taking office, Mr Salazar and Mr Dominguez have led bold efforts to transform the ICAO and IMO, amidst a complex and changing global landscape. 

b.     Mr Salazar is leading the development and implementation of the ICAO 2026-2050 Strategic Plan, while Mr Dominguez is leading the charge to modernise the IMO to become more diverse, inclusive, and transparent to better respond to future trends and challenges.

c.     I salute Mr Salazar and Mr Dominguez for their leadership and efforts, and I thank them for sharing their thoughts at the joint dialogue.

Conclusion

30.    While I am new to my role as Transport Minister, Singapore’s relationship with the ICAO and IMO spans decades. We have built many friendships and strong ties. 

31.    Singapore remains fully committed to supporting the ICAO and IMO in their missions and work, and to partner other Member States and the industry to address common challenges and opportunities to advance the global aviation and maritime sectors.

32.    I wish you all insightful discussions and meaningful takeaways from today’s sessions and the joint dialogue. And I hope that you will also have some time to enjoy what Singapore has to offer.

33.    Thank you.