Singapore launches ‘Playbook’ to accelerate maritime’s digital transformation

Going digital has become a part of Singapore’s plan to reboot its economy and enter a new normal post-COVID-19.

“The pandemic has accelerated digitalisation, regardless whether you are a multinational company or a local SME. The Playbook will serve as a guide to help maritime companies uncover opportunities in digital transformation,” said Dr Lam Pin Min, Singapore’s senior minister of state for transport and health.

“Our hope is that no matter where you are in your digitalisation journey, the Playbook will help support your vision and development of concrete digitalisation plans to improve the competitiveness and productivity of your company,” he added.

The MDP incorporates key findings from the IMDA-commissioned 2020 Digital Acceleration Index (DAI) survey for the sea transport sector, where over 200 maritime organisations submitted a self-assessment of their digital maturity. This has enabled MPA to establish the state of digitalisation of subsectors such as the shipping line, ship management, ship agency and harbour craft.

The MDP will help maritime companies, in particular small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to formulate their digitalisation roadmaps, guide execution and benefit from maritime digital platforms covering port clearances and services, trade documentation and trade operations and financing.

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The MDP complements the Sea Transport Industry Digital Plan launched in 2019. Companies can also apply for co-funding from MPA’s Maritime Cluster Fund – Productivity Development (MCF-PD) to develop their digitalisation solutions.

“The MDP contains information and resources, that include templates and support programmes, to help companies identify and address target gaps to formulate or rethink their digitalisation strategy. We strongly encourage maritime companies, especially the small-medium enterprises (SMEs), to make use of the MDP to achieve their digitalisation vision,” said Caroline Yang, president of SSA.