Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority has groomed more than 170 maritime startups through its PIER71 programme, with companies raising over S$130 million and more than 30 technology solutions deployed in the industry. The figures show how Singapore is using startup partnerships to bring digital tools into ship operations, safety, productivity and sustainability.
According to Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) Chief Digital Officer Thomas Ting, the authority’s digital strategy focuses on maritime value chains and sub-sectors, recognising that each has different processes and operational needs.
The partnership between MPA and NUS Enterprise through PIER71, launched in 2018, has become a major part of that approach. Ting said the programme has groomed more than 170 startups, which have collectively raised well over S$130 million from venture capital investors. More than 30 technology solutions and products have since been deployed across the maritime industry.
Several of those companies have also expanded overseas, according to the MPA post.
The model offers a practical route for testing technology against operational needs rather than treating digitalisation as a purely internal IT project. MPA’s approach also puts industry partnerships alongside technology development, giving startups access to maritime users while giving operators exposure to new solutions.
The authority also acknowledged a recurring issue in maritime innovation. Its Chief Digital Officer said the industry often focuses on solving immediate operational problems rather than investing in longer-term technology projects.
“We are working on initiatives to encourage maritime companies put some focus on Horizon 2 and 3 innovation or technology projects to position themselves for future growth,” Thing said.
One example is digital bunkering. He said its ITTD Division completed the digital bunkering initiative in 2025, making Singapore the first country to implement digital processes and documentation for bunkering operations, alongside the first industry standard for digital bunkering documentation.
Singapore’s experience suggests that the next phase of maritime digitalisation may depend as much on creating pathways for adoption as on developing the technology itself.
