NBAS, in partnership with Innovation Norway and the Norwegian Embassy in Singapore, hosted a special insights panel in conjunction with Nor-Shipping’s Ocean Now 1-2 June 2021. These are the main insights and highlights from the event.
Asian #ACTION – Partnering with Singapore to reach decarbonization goals
Norway and Singapore are ocean partners. Both nations acknowledge the fundamental challenge posed by climate change and contribute where they can. Singapore and Norway alike push boundaries in maritime technology by leveraging knowledge and technology. The cooperation between these two maritime nations is important for practical, tangible and impactful solutions for decarbonization.
In the opening discussion of Ocean Now, top industry leaders from Norway and Singapore discuss decarbonization-initiatives taken in the Asian markets and their global impact. The panel included Esben Poulsson (Chair of International Chamber of Shipping), Andreas Sohmen-Pao (Chair of BW Group and Co-chair of the International Advisory Panel on Maritime Decarbonization), Quah Ley Hoon (CEO of the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority), Remi Eriksen (CEO of DNV) and Thomas Wilhelmsen (CEO of Wilhelmsen Group).
Nine pathways to decarbonization
The International Advisory Panel (IAP) was founded by the Singapore MPA and the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) last year. It was co-chaired by Mr Andreas Sohmen-Pao and Mr Wong Wen Sun, and comprised of 30 experts from the field, including port operators, legal players, academia, as well as shipping players. The panel aimed to establish concrete ways for Singapore Maritime to contribute to the greening of the industry.
In conjunction with Singapore Maritime Week in March, the panel launched a report identifying nine pathways to decarbonization and four strategic objectives. One of the words in the headline of the report was action, which makes the perfect backdrop for Ocean Now 2021. In addition to action, the report laid out commercially viable solutions, partnerships for change, and concrete projects to embark on. One such example is the Singapore decarbonization center, which is co-founded by Singapore Maritime and DNV.
Collaboration vs cooperation
“We see great progress when different players come together – not just maritime – to decarbonize the maritime sector (…) We simply cannot afford seeing each other as competitors” (Remi Eriksen)
“We should not overplay collaboration and try to do everything together (…) We should encourage the hundred flowers when it can get us closer to the goal!” (Andreas Sohmen-Pao)
“Shipping is not alone, we are in the energy transition. We need to work together, not just port authorities but also energy authorities” (Quah Ley Hoon)
Actions vs aspirations
“My fear is that aspirations can sometimes become words that we hide behind and it takes us away from actions. We spend so much time hammering down aspiration statements, that we sometimes forget that it’s the actions that matter” (Andreas Sohmen-Pao)
“We must not forget that, for most of us, we want to achieve this and we want to be on the pathway to decarbonization” (Thomas Wilhelmsen)
“The great could become the enemy of the good” (Remi Eriksen)
“I am convinced that we will look back at 2020-2030 as a defining period in the maritime industry in changing – the decade of action” (Thomas Wilhelmsen)
Event recording:
Useful resources:
- Special insights: towards zero emissions in the maritime industry
- Special insights: decarbonize – stay profitable
- The maritime industry in times of the pandemic
- DNV establishes excellence-centre
- International Advisory Panel on Maritime Decarbonization unveils nine pathways to support decarbonization in the maritime industry
- The IAP report
NBAS is collaborating with upcoming artists in Singapore and Norway to showcase their work, while we get a creative take on our graphic profile. In May 2021, NBAS featured Sosialantenne.
