The maritime industry and its venture capital partners are investing heavily in technological solutions to a range of challenges, from improving maritime safety to trialling low- and zero-carbon marine fuels. For example, the Singapore Maritime Institute, established in 2011, works with a network of four Centres of Excellence to drive developments in maritime technology (MarineTech), grow the capabilities of research institutes in Singapore, and foster research collaborations with industry. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and NUS Enterprise collaborate with industry and research partners through the Port Innovation Ecosystem Reimagined at BLOCK71 (PIER71) programme to develop the maritime start-up ecosystem.
Maritime R&D initiatives are co-funded through the $265 million Maritime Innovation and Technology (MINT) Fund. Maritime R&D agreements have been signed both locally and overseas with various research institutions for collaborative projects. The National Research Foundation has also approved a $50 million Grant to support the Maritime Transformation Programme, which augments MPA’s ongoing R&D efforts as part of the Sea Transport Industry Transformation Map.
