SINGAPORE, 12/04/2024
The Coastal Sustainability Alliance (CSA), an industry collaborative effort led by Kuok Maritime Group (KMG), announced the commencement of shipbuilding of the first fully electric PXO tug (e-tug) and supply boat (e-supply boat) by PaxOcean Group. This marks a milestone in the collective industry effort to accelerate coastal decarbonisation, transition to a circular economy and strengthen marine supply chains . These zero-emissions vessels are among the first and largest local electric harbour craft designed for operation in Singapore’s coastal waters. They are targeted for deployment in 2025, ahead of the nation’s goal for all new coastal vessels to be fully electric or operate on low-carbon energy solutions by 2030.
The Coastal Sustainability Alliance PXO Electric Fleet Signing & MOU Ceremony, held at Shangri-La Singapore last evening, was graced by Guest-of-Honour Mr Chee Hong Tat, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, along with maritime industry leaders and CSA representatives. The CSA also welcomed nine new members, expanding the alliance to 27 members from the initial seven companies when it was formed in March 2022.
Ampotech, which joined the Coastal Sustainability Alliance in 2023, exhibited its internet of things solutions for energy management at the event and shared applications for maritime decarbonisation with Minister Chee Hong Tat during his tour of the exhibition area.
"As part of our mission to manage the electrified world, we are collaborating with Coastal Sustainability Alliance partners to implement energy and carbon management solutions for PXO vessels. In the longer term, we aim to serve the entire maritime ecosystem, including existing coastal infrastructure and legacy harbour craft, to support the decarbonisation of this vital industry," said Ampotech CEO William Temple.
The CSA enters its third year with a continued commitment to build a next-generation coastal logistics ecosystem. Progress made in its five strategic areas include:
Commercialisation of Singapore design-build-deploy PXO e-tug and e-supply boat – Pacific Workboats Pte Ltd (PWPL) has committed to purchasing the e-tug, leveraging its capabilities to provide sustainable towage services for its customer base. Additionally, KMG is investing in the construction and trials of the e-supply boat. While efforts to charter out the e-supply boat are ongoing, commercial interest in the PXO series continues to grow, with several CSA members exploring opportunities to charter these next-generation vessels. The PXO e-tug and e-supply boat are slated for deployment in 2025, marking a significant milestone in commercialising the PXO series. As the PXO series will be deployed from Jurong Port, KMG is collaborating with Jurong Port to provide the electric charging infrastructure to support the operations of electric vessels. In February 2024, the CSA was among the shortlisted entities announced by MPA ’s Expression of Interest (EOI) to transform Singapore’s maritime sector by designing and developing electric harbour craft. Among the 11 proposals received, the CSA’s e-supply boat proposal was among the six that have secured the relevant technical approvals from Classification Societies and were chosen for further design enhancements and optimisation with institutes of higher learnings (IHLs) and research institutes. This is significant progress and endorsement of the high technology readiness and maturity of the CSA’s PXO electric vessels.
Promoting sustainable resource management through e-waste reduction, upcycling and biofuels – Since 2023, CSA has partnered with Green COP to develop and commercialise second-generation biofuels as a transition fuel to reduce emissions from conventional harbour craft. Green COP has secured S$500,000 in angel investment to build a prototype plant to produce Biobutanol. The biofuel is made from biomass feedstock and generates fewer emissions than petroleum fuels.
Reduce marine traffic by 20% through logistics and fleet optimisation solutions – A key part of CSA’s efforts is to seamlessly integrate logistics, fleet operations, battery performance and just-in-time operations for vessels, terminals, and service providers. Utilising advanced technologies in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, the CSA is conducting optimisation simulations with MagicPort on the coastal logistics platform, which is expected to go live by end-2024. This platform will support the PXO e-supply boat in meeting the growing demand from the shipping community for marine logistics optimisation and traffic flow. The e-tug will also explore demand-supply match optimisation to reduce fuel wastage and dead mileage.
Support the growth of SMEs and start-ups through a sustainable green supply chain and maritime business ecosystem – Currently, over 50% of components of the PXO vessels are sourced locally. Sea Forrest Power Solutions is in conversation to supply critical components such as motors, battery management systems, and batteries for the e -supply boat.
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