Launched a year ago the CSA is aiming to accelerate decarbonisation in Singapore waters developing an eco-system of electric-powered supply vessels and tug boats and the related infrastructure.
Ken Energy has inked a Letter of Intent (LoI) to purchase the first-generation e-supply boat PXO-EXL-1. The vessel is designed and engineered by Singapore-headquartered shipyard group PaxOcean. The electric vessels will be amongst the first to be designed, built and deployed in Singapore.
Desmond Chong, Managing Director of Ken Energy, said, “In our focus of developing and implementing green energy solutions, we aim to advance the use of renewable energy and alternative fuels, as a means of reducing emissions and promoting a more sustainable and greener environment.
“As a start, we are looking into reducing our carbon footprint by exploring the use of PXO e-supply vessels to supply provisions and ship spares to our own fleet of bunker tankers.”
The deployment of the new electric supply vessel comes ahead of a recently announced commitment by the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) that all new harbour craft must be fully electric, capable of using B100 biofuel or compatible with net-zero fuels by 2030.
Tan Thai Yong, Chief Executive Officer, PaxOcean and Chairperson, CSA Council, said, "The commitment from Ken Energy to acquire the PXO e-supply boats is a significant recognition of the impact that the Coastal Sustainability Alliance's collective strengths can have in transforming Singapore's coastal maritime ecosystem to be future-ready.”
As well as electric power the new e-supply vessels will be larger in size and CSA is also working on a demand consolidation system with major ship owners and managers to allow for optimised routing of the vessels to reduce the number of voyages required and related costs.
Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry and Transformation) of MPA, said: “We are heartened to see harbourcraft electrification gathering momentum and look forward to engaging Ken Energy and CSA early on the vessel design to optimise them for deployment in the local environment. Such close collaborations with these like-minded partners will help accelerate decarbonisation to meet Singapore’s commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.”
CSA is spearheaded by Kuok Maritime, comprising PaxOcean Holdings Pacific Carriers Limited (PCL) and POSH (PACC Offshore Services Holdings), and members include Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), GenPlus, Jurong Port Singapore, Sea Forrest, Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS), and TES.
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