ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES – Singapore’s marine and offshore energy industry has unveiled a new plan to drive sustainable growth, with a target of creating and redesigning 1,000 local job roles by 2030.
The initiative also aims to secure new orders that will help reduce annual carbon emissions by at least 250 kilotonnes – equivalent to taking 39,000 cars off the road.
The industry blueprint seeks to position Singapore as the Asia-Pacific hub for maritime sustainability, according to the Association of Singapore Marine and Offshore Energy Industries (ASMI), which launched the plan with support from Enterprise Singapore.
In a media statement, ASMI highlighted that the plan addresses key challenges in the sector, including resource constraints, talent development and increasing regional competition.
“Although the industry has long been a cornerstone of the nation’s economy with global leadership in marine and offshore engineering technologies, it is essential to continuously adapt strategies to ensure sustained access to long-term opportunities and economic growth,” the association stated.
Manpower Minister Dr Tan See Leng, who announced the plan in his speech at the industry’s roundtable event, said Singapore is a world-class marine and offshore energy hub with a vibrant cluster of more than 1,000 companies, comprising both globally competitive small and medium enterprises and large home-grown firms. “As the global energy transition gathers momentum, growth opportunities abound in areas such as offshore wind. However, companies will also need to rethink their current operating models, which is largely labour-intensive and dependent on oil and gas,” he said.
“To stay ahead in such times, the only answer is to transform, just like you have done in the past. Importantly, we also want the industry to transform with a clear purpose, and with an end in mind.”
The plan aims to achieve five per cent average annual productivity growth to 2030. These are among four targets the plan has set for the marine and offshore energy industry.
There will be a focus on upskilling and reskilling to develop a future-ready workforce that can take on new roles in offshore renewables, sustainability, digitalisation and advanced manufacturing, ASMI said.
Another aim is to support the development of global renewable energy. This can be achieved through companies securing new contracts that contribute to the cumulative development of more than 50 gigawatts of offshore renewable energy projects globally till 2030, ASMI added.
One gigawatt can power 1.4 million Singapore households annually.
Singapore’s offshore and marine energy industry can also help to advance maritime decarbonisation, ASMI said.
This can be done through new builds and decarbonisation solutions, including retrofits and upgrades, the association noted.
ASMI president Simon Kuik said, “Singapore’s marine and offshore energy sector is at a pivotal point, with new opportunities in offshore renewables and maritime decarbonisation.
To stay competitive, companies must innovate, adapt, and build new capabilities.
“This will help position Singapore as a global leader in the energy transition, strengthening its role as a key hub in the marine and offshore energy industry.”
