Posted on November 15, 2023
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was hosted by Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) counterparts at the 8th MPA-MOF Bilateral Meeting in Busan, according to Eng Dih Teo, Chief Executive of MPA on Tuesday (14 November).
Since 2015, Eng said MOF and MPA have met annually to exchange views on maritime developments, and how both agencies could collaborate towards our shared goal of safe and sustainable shipping for the global community.
“Both agencies updated on digital initiatives, bunkering of new maritime fuels, and discussed the exchange of port inspectors and personnel,” he said in a social media post.
On the sidelines, MPA participated in the International Forum on Shipping and Port Decarbonisation organised by the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), Pacific Environment and ClimateWorks Foundation, which saw updates on developments within the global regulatory landscape, as well as the initiatives undertaken by various ports in the Asia-Pacific to support the energy transition.
The roundtable discussion with KRISO (Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering), KMI, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. (HD KSOE), University College London (UCL) and Transport & Environment (T&E) covered how the public and private sectors could collaborate to enhance energy efficiency and decarbonise shipping.
“We also discussed the attachment of surveyors with friends at the Korean Register (KR), bunkering experiences with port authorities in Korea and the deployment of new technologies with institutes of higher learning such as Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the Korea Maritime & Ocean University, as we prepare the maritime industry and workforce for the future,” Eng said.
“The Republic of Korea has grown to be one of the largest shipbuilding countries in the world. As a key member of the global maritime community, and a close partner for Singapore, both countries enjoy excellent cooperation – including bilaterally, at the regional level via the Co-operative Mechanism in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, as well as internationally at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) where both countries contribute actively as Council Members.”
