The inaugural Port Authorities Roundtable was held in Singapore on April 20 in conjunction with the 10th Singapore Maritime Week 2015.
Organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the closed-door roundtable event brought together port authorities from around the world to network, share insights on pertinent issues and best practices, as well as to explore areas of collaboration.
Prominent maritime economist Dr Martin Stopford, President of Clarkson Research Services Limited, who was guest speaker at the roundtable event, shared his insights and perspectives on the maritime industry and the future of containerisation.
Shipping is a global business. To stay ahead, port authorities must keep abreast of industry trends and work closely with the industry to develop innovative solutions in tackling the challenges. With the theme ‘Future Ready Ports – Challenges and Opportunities for Port Authorities’, the participants had a lively and spontaneous discussion on efforts to improve port safety, efficiency, sustainability, and the adoption of future-ready technology and infrastructure in ports.
Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA, said: “ The maritime industry today continues to operate under challenging market conditions. Some of these issues require high-level international cooperation. The inaugural Port Authorities Roundtable provides a suitable platform for port authorities to discuss how we can be better prepared for the evolving challenges posed by changing trade patterns, larger ships and mega-alliances as well as growing pressures on ports to meet the future needs of the maritime industry. It also allows us to exchange best practices and new ideas, thereby providing more opportunities for future collaborations.”
MPA and the Port of Rotterdam Authority also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to exchange information on marine services and jointly collaborate on research and development in the areas of service efficiency and optimization, and new developments in the maritime and port sectors.
The MOU was signed by Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA, and Mr Allard Castelein, President and CEO, Port of Rotterdam Authority.