The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), in collaboration with industry partners, has unveiled several initiatives aimed at enhancing maritime safety. Announced during the 13th Singapore Safety@Sea Week, these measures focus on shared learning, strengthening operational capabilities, and preparing for the safe adoption of new technologies.
Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport, Murali Pillai, emphasised the importance of responsible technology use, early risk preparation, and maintaining a people-centric safety approach. He also highlighted the need for strong partnerships within the maritime community to foster a robust safety culture.
The Safety@Sea Week, running from 17 to 21 August, features 18 events, including the Safety@Sea Symposium and workshops on ammonia and methanol bunkering, as well as crew safety awareness. Approximately 1,500 participants are expected to attend.
A key initiative is the Singapore Near Miss Reporting System, launched by the National Maritime Safety at Sea Council and the Singapore Shipping Association. This system, modelled on the UK’s Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP), allows confidential reporting of near misses, with anonymised data shared to enhance safety practices.
Additionally, MPA has operationalised the Integrated Port Operations Command, Control and Communications (IPOC) system, developed with the Defence Science and Technology Agency and ST Engineering. IPOC integrates live data to improve situational awareness and decision-making in Singapore’s busy port waters.
A memorandum of understanding with Ocean Infinity was also announced to test autonomous and remote marine operations, aiming to safely introduce these technologies in Singapore’s port waters.
The week also recognised industry contributions, with MPA Chief Executive Ang Wee Keong presenting Safety@Sea Awards to nine companies for their 2025 search and rescue efforts.
