Remarks by Senior Minister of State for Transport Mr Chee Hong Tat at the Singapore Norway Innovation Conference

1.     Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.

2.     Thank you for inviting me to speak at the opening of the second Singapore Norway Innovation Conference. 

Fruitful Partnership in Maritime Innovation Between Singapore and Norway 

3.     Singapore and Norway have a longstanding and fruitful partnership in the area of maritime innovation. In the year 2000, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Research Council of Norway. The MOU grew our research collaborations, and earlier this year, I am happy to note that the MOU was renewed for the 8th term.

4.     The MOU has served as the foundation for our maritime research institutes to grow their partnerships with maritime companies in both countries, and to develop practical solutions for the maritime industry. For example, the Real Energy Efficiency and Emissions in the Seaway project studied how ship operators working under real-world constraints can use ship performance data to make more energy-efficient operational decisions. Research institutes and industry partners from both Singapore and Norway were involved in this three-year project, and the findings have been applied by Norwegian company SKS Tanker to achieve better fuel consumption management for its vessels.

Fostering a Maritime Ecosystem for Innovation

5.     Translating good ideas into scalable solutions and viable businesses requires a vibrant ecosystem that offers access to markets, technology, funding and talent. Singapore and Norway have long maritime traditions and strong innovation cultures. We are natural partners in offering such an innovation ecosystem for the maritime community. MPA’s annual Maritime Innovation Process (MIP) offers a structured way for maritime companies with problem statements to engage with solver communities, including start-ups, technology solution providers, researchers and students. We want to harness their creativity to develop practical solutions. 

6.     This year, we were pleased to collaborate with Innovation Norway to invite 30 leaders from the Norwegian maritime community in Singapore to participate in the MIP for the first time. Norwegian companies like Star Information Systems and Gard co-sponsored industry-wide challenge statements, which have been channelled to the start-up community via the PIER71 Smart Port Challenge 2021. The Grand Finals of this year’s Smart Port Challenge will be held next month in November, and I look forward to the proposals from our participants.

Conclusion

7.     As uncertainty and disruption become the new normal in our operating environment, innovation and adaptability are vital for us to remain competitive and to respond to the challenges of the future. Singapore and Norway are not only old friends and likeminded partners. We also share a lot of interests and have strong capabilities. These interests and complementary strengths will allow us to build on our solid foundations and forge even stronger win-win partnerships in maritime innovation.

8.     Thank you, and I wish you all a fruitful conference.