Highlighting their shared commitment to advancing sustainability, innovation, and secure maritime solutions, the governments of Singapore and France announced an enhanced maritime partnership agreement. The move which is designed to advance key initiatives in sustainability and digitalization was announced after French President Emmanuel Macron conducted a two-day visit to the city-state during his tour of Asia at the end of May.
“This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to advancing sustainable, innovative, and secure maritime solutions,” said Eric Banel, Director General for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture in Singapore. “Both France and Singapore, as global maritime hubs and key worldwide players in innovation and engineering, recognize the strategic importance of strengthening cooperation in port digitalization, green shipping, and maritime safety and security.”
French shipping company CMA CGM will also be joining in with the initiatives. It will participate as it seeks to support fuel innovation and the adoption of digital standards for the industry.
One of the key pilots will focus on supporting the adoption of biomethane. Working to advance maritime decarbonization, the partners will explore the development of a bio-methane supply chain and certification program.
They are planning the first bio-methane bunkering trail which will take place in Singapore. They will develop a certification framework similar to the efforts Singapore undertook to develop the first ammonia bunkering. The port conducted the first ammonia bunkering as a marine fuel in March 2024 and working with CMA CGM will conduct the first for bio-methane.
The French shipping company will also support an initiative between France’s HAROPA Port, the operator for the ports of Le Havre, Rouen, and Paris, and the Port of Marseille-Fos authority to advance digitization. This initiative will focus on port call optimization and maritime digitalization testing ship-to-shore data exchange to automate and streamline port clearance processes. By reducing manual documentation, they believe the industry will improve the timeliness and accuracy of operational data. They will look to support efforts to have internationally recognized data standards.