The eleventh edition of the SMI Forum, organized by the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI), kicked off today. Themed “Maritime Safety in the 4.0 Era: Breaking New Frontiers’, this year’s SMI Forum highlights the role of research and development (R&D) towards enhancing maritime safety and efficiency, according to MPA of Singapore’s release.

This year’s SMI Forum was held as a hybrid event at the Singapore Polytechnic and streamed virtually to around 200 maritime professionals and academia around the world.
 
Established in April 2011, SMI celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year.

 
At the event, several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed:

a) MoU on R&D Collaboration between CEMS and Wärtsilä Voyage Pacific

Wärtsilä Voyage’s comprehensive collaboration with CEMS covers assistive technologies for use on-board ships and during training, simulators to study human behavior and competency to enhance the safety of navigation, infusing wearable technologies. It also covers the development of training guidelines and content for remote operations. Lastly, scenario-based “Standards Validation” simulation for autonomous vessel research will also be an area to support Singapore’s pursuit in Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship development. The projects are scheduled to be implemented over the next two years.

b) MoUs with Industry to Advance Maritime Artificial Intelligence Research in Singapore

SMI and three industry partners, Kongsberg Digital AS, RightShip, and Wärtsilä Voyage Limited, signed MoUs today to cooperate on a Maritime Artificial Intelligence (AI) R&D programme. Recognizing the need to create an environment to promote data-driven innovation, and to drive increased use of data-driven tools, applications, and technologies in the maritime industry, SMI will collaborate with the various MoU parties to catalyze Maritime AI applications over the next two years.

 
c) Renewal of MoU between SMI and University of Turku, Finland to Promote Maritime R&D Activities

SMI and the University of Turku (UTU) in Finland first signed an MoU in 2016 to jointly promote and collaborate on maritime R&D activities and will renew the MoU for another 5 years. SMI and UTU seek to further pursue innovation and deepen R&D collaborations in SMI’s renewed R&D focus areas in Next Generation Port; Smart Shipping; and Green Technologies.

d) Renewal of MoU between Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and China Waterborne Transport Research Institute

MPA and China Waterborne Transport Research Institute also renewed the MoU signed in 2019 to collaborate on research. Under the MoU, WTI and MPA will continue cooperation in the field of maritime and port affairs, research, and development.

The launch of a new maritime R&D call on an automated quay crane (QC) jointly by SMI, MPA, and PSA was also announced at the SMI Forum. Open from 14 October 2021 to 5 January 2022, the aim is to support the research and development of automated systems and novel concepts for full automated QC operations. The intended solution should address three focus areas to enhance vessel side operation:
a. Reliable and fast human and obstacle detection under all weather conditions.
b. Advance algorithm to integrate sensor, image, and control signals technology to navigate a QC spreader automatically through the non-standardized environment.
c. Robust wired and/or wireless communication to transmit sensors’ data from the QC spreader to the QC Programmable Logic Controller.