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Singapore has decided to extend for another five years a key initiative that seeks to reduce the environmental impact of shipping and promote clean shipping practices.

The Maritime Singapore Green Initiative (MSGI), which was due to expire at the end of this year, was introduced by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) in 2011. It comprises Green Ship, Green Port, Green Technology, Green Energy and Green Awareness programs.

Speaking at the Singapore Registry of Ships Forum 2019 on November 8, Quah Ley Hoon, Chief Executive of the MPA, revealed:

“I am glad to announce today that we will extend the MSGI and enhance it for another five years till 31 Dec 2024.”

“We will give it a new focus on decarbonisation. For example, we hope that the Green Awareness Programme will encourage you to start exploring carbon reporting and internal carbon pricing,” she added.

The enhanced MSGI will have new incentives to encourage adoption of engines using alternative fuels with lower carbon content such as LNG as well as the use of LNG bunker during port stay and for ships exceeding IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index requirements.

As informed, the MPA expects its two LNG bunker tankers to facilitate ship-to-ship LNG bunkering for ocean-going vessels from Q3 2020 onwards.

In addition, the MPA is working to develop ecosystem and infrastructure to position Singapore as a key LNG bunkering hub for the region and the world.

“We expect more LNG vessels to call on our port. We are preparing for the first simultaneous operations for LNG bunkering and cargo operations next year,” Quah Ley Hoon further said.