Digital Ship Identity Trials to Be Hosted in Singapore

The Port of Singapore is set to begin trials of ‘digital ship identities’ in applications as varied as port clearance and bunkering. 

The trials are the result of the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with S&P Global Market Intelligence and Bunkerchain. 

S&P Global Market Intelligence currently manages the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) database of unique identification numbers that all vessels are assigned. Recent years have seen S&P collaborating with tech company Bunkerchain to develop a ‘Marine Vessel Pass (MVP).

The Marine Vessel Pass - being tied to each vessel’s unique IMO identification number - will enable digital transactions and process automation during port calls. According to Bunkerchain, the Marine Vessel Pass has a number of distinct features, including: 

• Being the world’s first digital identity pass for vessels above 100GT tied to IMO numbers. 
• Providing a clear provenance trail of recorded transactions.
• Creating a clear segregation of duties and responsibilities between digital identity management and third-party services. 

According to a press release from MPA, digital ship identity ‘plays a crucial role in making electronic transactions more secure, trusted, and efficient in the maritime sector. When deployed in tandem with electronic signatures, these digital technologies will eliminate the need for physical ship stamps and wet ink signatures, and accelerate the transition towards truly digital, secure, and paperless operations’.

The introduction of digital ship identity trials at the Port of Singapore is only a single part of a broader digital transformation of the port’s operations as part of a collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). 

Other projects under the MPA/AWS umbrella include; the development of a maritime Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI-ML) hub, the development of a Satellite Resource Management Platform (SRMP), the development of a digital twin proof-of-concept of a methanol bunkering leak incident and more. 

Maritime consultancy Singapore

Need on-the-ground support with a maritime-related issue in Singapore? Then speak to Brookes Bell’s Singapore team today. 

As part of the global Brookes Bell business, we have experts in myriad fields, including; Master Mariners, marine engineers, naval architects, cargo scientists, fuel chemists, metallurgists, paint and coatings specialists and more. 

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