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Singapore Boosts Green Initiative

Singapore

Published Jul 3, 2016 12:29 AM by The Maritime Executive

The Maritime Singapore Green Ship Program, launched by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) in 2011, has been extended to include LNG ships.

The MPA has also extended its Green Technology Program until the end of 2019. The program has so far involved more than 20 projects involving over 60 vessels. It provides a grant of up to 50 percent of costs to co-fund the development and adoption of green technological solutions. Grants are capped at S$2 million ($1.5 million) per project, with an increased cap of S$3 million ($2.2 million) per project for solutions that can achieve more than 20 percent reduction in emission levels.

The Green Port Program, another voluntary scheme, has achieved considerable success with more than 3,700 vessel calls involving the switch to marine fuel with sulfur content not exceeding one percent. Reducing sulfur content to 0.5 percent will now attract a flat rate of 25 percent concession in port dues. A similar concession is also extended to ships using LNG.

Additionally, MPA is also introducing two new programs – The Green Awareness Program and The Green Energy Program. The awareness program focuses on creating awareness on possible avenues towards sustainable shipping. Other than the Maritime Singapore Green Pledge and regular sustainability workshops and forums, MPA will also be awarding the first Environmental Achievement Award (Maritime) this year. The award serves to recognize maritime companies that are at the forefront of sustainability efforts. 

The energy program aims to promote adoption of alternate or cleaner marine fuels as well as wider adoption of energy efficient operational measures, in anticipation of developments on the global sulfur emissions cap. These efforts would come through support in asset and infrastructural development, as well as provision of various platforms for the industry to gain knowledge on these alternate fuels. 

To date, S$12 million ($8.9 million) has been committed towards an LNG bunkering pilot program.