Summary of the Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) Closed-Door Ministerial Roundtable by Chair and Acting Minister for Transport, Mr Jeffrey Siow

1.           Singapore Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance, Mr Jeffrey Siow, chaired a closed-door Ministerial Roundtable, comprising Ministers and senior government officials¹ from 11 countries, together with the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Mr Arsenio Dominguez, on 21 April 2026. Participants exchanged views on how countries could collectively address shared challenges and seize emerging opportunities to shape a resilient and future-ready maritime sector.

2.           Four interconnected themes were discussed at the Roundtable: upholding the international maritime order, advancing manpower development and safety at sea, navigating the energy transition, and harnessing digital innovation. As the backbone of global trade, the stability, sustainability, and safety of the maritime sector were recognised as matters of shared international responsibility.

3.           Participants strongly affirmed the critical importance of upholding and safeguarding freedom of navigation and the right of transit passage through Straits Used for International Navigation (SUINs), in accordance with international law, and in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). There was strong consensus that this was a shared responsibility and vital to ensuring safe and open global shipping lanes to the benefit of all users.

4.           The Roundtable identified the attraction of younger persons to maritime careers as an urgent priority. Governments, industry, and training institutions must work together to position careers in the maritime sector as dynamic and future ready. The Roundtable also acknowledged ongoing efforts by the international community to strengthen cooperation on maritime safety. There was broad support for continued multilateral engagement, including through international platforms, to advance shared priorities such as seafarer safety and secure shipping operations.

5.           On navigating the energy transition towards a net-zero future for the maritime sector, the Roundtable noted that the path forward required coordinated efforts across the development of fuel pathways, infrastructure, and training of the workforce.

6.           Participants also recognised that digitalisation and technological innovation could enhance transparency, efficiency, and compliance across the maritime sector. However, they acknowledged that these benefits must be weighed against associated risks such as cybersecurity threats and the need for robust protective measures to safeguard critical maritime infrastructure.

7.           The Roundtable concluded with a reaffirmation of the collective commitment to uphold a rules-based maritime order. Participants emphasised that sustained international cooperation, adherence to international law, and inclusive capacity-building efforts were essential to ensure that global shipping remained open, secure, and resilient for all.

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¹ Participants at the meeting included the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Estonia, India, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Norway, Singapore, Timor-Leste and the United Kingdom.