SINGAPORE - Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) will trial new drone capabilities in 2025, including coordinated drone operations to help contain toxic and flammable fumes during chemical spills at sea, Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor announced on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Accelerating Digitalization and Decarbonization Conference, part of the Singapore Maritime Week, Khor also highlighted plans to expand drone services in the Port of Singapore. The Maritime Drone Estate, launched in 2021 as a testbed for maritime applications, will now support commercial services such as remote inspections and shore-to-ship deliveries.

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To strengthen the workforce, the MPA will collaborate with Singapore's Republic Polytechnic on training unmanned aircraft pilots and sharing best practices in drone operations.

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Khor noted that digitalization, including artificial intelligence, is transforming port operations, vessel management, and maritime services. However, greater reliance on interconnected systems also brings cybersecurity challenges. To address this, Singapore is accelerating the adoption of global digital standards for secure data exchange between vessels, ports, and shore service providers.

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Singapore will also become the world's first port to fully implement digital bunkering starting April 1. Bunker suppliers will be required to provide digital bunkering services and issue electronic bunker delivery notes, which users can verify through a new common verification facility launched by the MPA on the same day.