Straits Times 19 Feb 10;
SHIPPING emissions are attracting greater attention in the climate change agenda as they are responsible for about 3 per cent of total global emissions - 1 per cent higher than the airline industry's carbon footprint.
As one of the busiest ports in the world, along with Shanghai and Rotterdam, Singapore has a part to play in the greening of the shipping industry.
Last year, more than 130,000 ships docked here, so it is about time that Singapore begins its first research centre for seafaring energy.
At its opening yesterday, the Centre for Maritime Energy Research (CMER) at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) launched a programme offering a total of $15 million for research into cleaner shipping technologies.
A memorandum of understanding for the programme was also signed by Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) chief executive Lam Yi Young and NTU Provost Bertil Andersson yesterday.
'The MPA hopes the fund will help it develop greener shipping and port management,' said an MPA spokesman.
Research areas include the probing of nuclear and fuel cell power for ships at sea, carbon capturing of emissions and electrification of ships.
Six projects will be chosen next month and will receive between $500,000 and $1 million in funding.
Funding for the programme will come from the MPA's Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund ($8 million) and NTU ($2 million), over the next five years. They will also seek an additional $5 million from the industry.
Six industry partners have since signed up with NTU to collaborate with CMER. They are the American Bureau of Shipping, APL, DNV, Keppel Offshore and Marine Technology Centre, Sembcorp Marine and Rolls-Royce Singapore.
VICTORIA VAUGHAN
Platform to develop green shipping solutions
Business Times 19 Feb 10;
THE Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) yesterday jointly launched the $15 million Maritime Clean Energy Research Programme (MCERP) to focus on research platforms that promote green, carbon-neutral, energy management solutions.
Co-funded by MPA's Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund and NTU, research grants of up to $8 million and $2 million will be contributed by MPA and NTU respectively over a five-year period.
MPA and NTU will also work towards securing industry co-funding of up to $5 million.
The research will be conducted through the Centre for Maritime Energy Research (CMER), a new centre under the Energy Research Institute at NTU. The programme aims to develop green shipping and port solutions and will work with other centres at the institute.
The first Call for Proposals for research grants opened yesterday. The evaluation panel will constitute members from NTU, MPA and the maritime industry.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) launching the programme was yesterday signed by MPA chief executive Lam Yi Young and NTU Provost Bertil Andersson.
In conjunction with the MCERP, Mr Lam and Prof Andersson also witnessed the signing of an MOU with the American Bureau of Shipping, APL, DNV, Keppel Offshore and Marine Technology Centre and Sembcorp Marine and a Letter of Intent with Rolls-Royce Singapore which are all interested to explore collaborations with CMER.
MPA, NTU launch Maritime Clean Energy Research Programme
Channel NewsAsia 18 Feb 10;
SINGAPORE: Research funding of up to S$15 million will be available over five years under a newly launched "Maritime Clean Energy Research Programme".
The programme, jointly launched by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), aims to help the development of green technologies in shipping and port management.
Research will be conducted through the Centre for Maritime Energy Research, a new centre under the Energy Research Institute at NTU.
The first Call for proposals for the research grant opened on Thursday.
- CNA/sc
