The Rotterdam-Singapore Green & Digital Shipping Corridor: Pioneering Sustainable Maritime Solutions
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Port of Rotterdam have signed a cooperation agreement to further strengthen their efforts on the Rotterdam-Singapore Green and Digital Shipping Corridor.
The agreement builds on the success of the corridor as a driving force of maritime decarbonization and digitalization since its inception in 2022.
Collaborative Efforts for Sustainable Shipping
The two ports have brought together 28 partners across the entire container shipping value chain to drive the deployment of sustainable fuels on the 15,000-kilometer shipping route and implement digital solutions for improved efficiency. The collective ambition is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of large container vessels on the corridor by 20-30% by 2030 while accelerating the adoption of global standards and solutions to facilitate efficient port calls, flow of goods, and enable paperless handling.
CEO of the Port of Rotterdam, Boudewijn Siemons, emphasized, “By bringing together parties across the entire value chain, the Rotterdam-Singapore Green & Digital Shipping Corridor has helped to make first, valuable steps towards the decarbonisation of international shipping while also improving efficiency of trade and setting new industry standards.“
Advancing Sustainable Fuels
To support the decarbonization of shipping, the collaboration focused on testing and accelerating the adoption of sustainable fuels, intending to make them available, accepted and affordable for large-scale use. Emphasis will be on bio- and e-variants of ammonia, methanol, and methane, with working groups established for each fuel type.
Since 2022, several first-mover pilot projects have been carried out, including the successful bunkering of mass-balanced liquefied bio-methane at the Port of Rotterdam. A similar trial is planned in Singapore in 2025.
Digital Innovation for Efficiency
On the digital front, the two ports have successfully trialed the exchange of port-to-port data to optimize vessel arrival planning and port operations between Singapore and Rotterdam. Ship-to-shore data exchange infrastructure has also been established to enable efficient and secure submission of port clearance information.
With the goal of accelerating the decarbonization and digitalization of the shipping industry, the Singapore-Rotterdam Green and Digital Shipping Corridor continues to pave the way for sustainable maritime solutions through collaboration and innovation.