MPA, ABS renew multi-year MoU to boost maritime innovation, workforce

ABS will establish the ABS Singapore Maritime Safety Centre as part of the arrangement.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) renewed a multi-year memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration in research and development, talent development, workforce upskilling, support for startup maritime businesses, and regulatory alignment.

As part of the five-year arrangement, ABS will establish the ABS Singapore Maritime Safety Centre, a facility designed to provide immersive training for seafarers and maritime professionals, in support of the MPA’s Maritime Energy Training Facility.

ABS is investing $6m (US$4.5m) in the centre, which is expected to create new employment opportunities for the region.

By employing the latest training techniques, including virtual reality and game-based training systems, the ABS Singapore Maritime Safety Centre can simulate realistic training scenarios with varying levels of complexity without putting the vessel or crew at risk.

($1 = US$0.75)