Singapore International Safety@ Sea Week 2025
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) organised the twelfth Safety@Sea Week, with this year’s event being the international edition taking place from 15 to 18 July.
Promotion of awareness
Themed The Future of Maritime Safety: Navigating the Next Frontier, the annual event brought together local and international maritime experts, and the maritime community to promote awareness and facilitate discussions on maritime safety.
Speaking at the opening on 15 July Mr Murali Pillai, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport, said that the maritime sector is facing
increasingly complex global challenges, including heightened geopolitical tensions, climate change, and rapid transformation in digitalisation and decarbonisation. He highlighted that (the MPA) can tackle these challenges by (i) equipping its workforce for future challenges, (ii) harnessing collective expertise through close collaborations and partnerships, and (iii) drawing upon technology and innovation to augment capabilities.
In his keynote address, Mr Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the IMO, underscored the need for robust safety frameworks and regulations as the maritime landscape evolves.
MASS
He cited Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships and new ship designs and systems using sustainable marine fuels as examples of how the maritime sector is transforming and outlined IMO’s priorities in those areas.
Mr Dominguez also highlighted the importance of government-industry collaboration and initiatives such as the Safety@Sea Singapore Campaign to foster a safety-first culture at sea.
This year’s conference featured nineteen speakers across three plenaries. Discussions focused on issues shaping the future of maritime safety, including lessons learned from past incidents, and the human element in ensuring safety as the industry transforms. Over 1,800 participants from more than 40 countries attended.
Chemical spill exercise
As part of the International Safety@Sea Week, MPA also conducted a multi-agency chemical spill exercise to strengthen Singapore’s operational readiness. Conducted off Singapore’s southern coast, the exercise involved eleven vessels and over 150 personnel from more than ten government agencies and industry partners. Mr Murali, Mr Dominguez and our own Secretary-General Mr Francis Zachariae, observed the exercise. The exercise simulated a methanol spill from a collision involving a methanol carrying tanker, triggering a multi-agency response.
Enhancing situational awareness with smart buoys to strengthen navigational safety
To enhance navigational safety, MPA will progressively install smart buoys in
Singapore’s waterways from 2026 to replace selected existing buoys. These next
generation buoys will be equipped with environmental sensors and communication systems to transmit real-time data, such as currents and waves, to MPA. This will enhance situational awareness, support dynamic traffic management, and enable more timely and informed decision-making, strengthening navigational safety.
Text based on material kindly provided by The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)
From left to right: Francis Zachariae, IMO S-G Arsenio Domionguez and Murali Pillai, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport.
Third from right Francis Zachariae, and fourth from left IMO S-G Arsenio Dominguez.
In the centre, from left to right: Francis Zachariae, IMO S-G Arsenio Dominguez and Murali Pillai, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport.
Rapporteur: Paul Ridgway.