Singapore Maritime Week Underway

The annual Singapore Maritime Week was officially launched on Monday by Murali Pillai, Singapore’s Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport.

Organized by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, SMW 2025 is the 19th iteration of the event.

Taking place at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, SMW 2025 is expected to welcome more than 20,000 attendees from close to 80 countries. The expanded EXPO@SMW features close to 200 local and international exhibitors, including nine country pavilions, reflecting the growing global interest in Singapore as a leading maritime hub.

At the opening ceremony of SMW 2025, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, together with Minister of State Murali and various VIPs, launched Singapore’s first Maritime Digital Twin, an advanced simulation model developed by MPA in partnership with the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) that integrates real-time data to enhance decision-making and improve management of maritime operations in Singapore waters.

The digital twin integrates real-time data from vessels, port operations and environmental sensors and uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics, to optimize port operations, improve energy efficiency, and reduce emissions. It also enhances safety management and emergency response by supporting risk assessments for incidents such as oil spills and accidental release of gases into the atmosphere.  

The digital twin will serve as a “sandbox” where companies and researchers can collaborate with MPA to develop and test new operating concepts and digital solutions before deploying them. Pilot testing using the digital twin will commence in the second half of 2025.

Industry use-cases demonstrating the potential capabilities of the digital twin include real-time vessel monitoring and underwater visualization of hull inspection and cleaning.

SMW 2025 will see eight internationally recognized classification societies in Singapore renew the Letter of Intent signed with MPA in 2023 to deepen collaboration in emerging areas like wind technology and autonomous vessels. In addition, more than 10 partnership agreements between MPA and various stakeholders will also be signed over SMW 2025.

MPA announced the commissioning of the Maritime Testbed of Operational Technology Systems (MariOT) at the event. The MariOT is the world’s first industrial grade cyber-physical platform designed to provide a safe and realistic environment for testing cybersecurity technologies and training. Developed in collaboration with the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), and industry partners, the SUTD-based MariOT also supports the development of a sustainable cybersecurity talent pipeline for the maritime sector.  

The inaugural MariOT exercise will simulate cyber threats targeting operational technology systems onboard vessels, such as the navigation and propulsion systems, and assess participants’ ability to detect cyber intrusions and carry out the appropriate incident response protocols.

MPA will also host a cybersecurity tabletop exercise (TTX) at the Maritime Cyber Assurance and Operations Centre (MCAOC), bringing together more than 40 local and international participants.