Singapore’s transport minister opened the country’s annual Safety@Sea Week by saying new technology, the drive for sustainable shipping and the climate are creating new perils for the market.

Murali Pillai, (pic) senior minister of state for Law and Transport, said the solutions to then challenges the maritime sector faced could not be delivered in isolation.

He told delegates: “Today, we sail along stormy seas. Recent events in the Strait of Hormuz remind us how a journey at sea remains dangerous, and not just because of nature’s storms but also because of disagreements among men.

“Today, we need more than ever to safeguard and uphold the right of transit passage through straits used for international navigation. Seafarers have always sailed the open seas which connect all corners of the world. This freedom is today under threat.

“We face geopolitical tensions, climate-related disruptions and emerging technological risks. When the freedom and safety of navigation are threatened, it is seafarers, and their families, who bear the real human cost.”

Pillai continued: “Today, we continue to be in the sea’s grip, of natural events and towering waves. But we can and must stand against risks and dangers that can be prevented by care, attention and investment of time and resources.

“For Singapore, this is not a distant concern. As a small island nation whose prosperity depends on open, secure and well-functioning sea lanes, including the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, maritime safety is fundamental to our way of life. That is why Singapore Safety@Sea Week is such an important platform.”

“These conversations matter because maritime safety cannot be achieved by any single authority, company or country,” he continued. “It is built collectively – through common standards, mutual trust, and a willingness to learn from one another.

“This year’s theme, ‘All Hands on Deck – Safety First!’, captures that spirit well. Safety is a shared responsibility across the entire maritime community – regulators, industry and operators alike – and is strongest when innovation is guided by operational realities.”

Pillai identified three priorities of maritime safety: First, technology; second, risk, and third, people at the heart of every safety decision.

“These priorities are interconnected,” he explained. “Technology is transforming maritime operations. Artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous systems are changing how ships are operated, maintained and monitored. These technologies can reduce repetitive and hazardous work, improve situational awareness, and help operators respond more quickly to emerging risks. But technology itself does not make us safer. It is how we design, govern and integrate it into operations that makes the difference. Innovation succeeds only when those who rely on it have confidence that it is safe and reliable.”

“New technology can strengthen, but also compromise, maritime safety,” Pillai added. “To make sure that we achieve the first – and avoid the second – requires close collaboration between regulators, researchers and industry.

“Technology is only one part of the equation. The other is our ability to anticipate risks. The global transition towards cleaner shipping is gathering pace. Alternative fuels such as methanol and ammonia will play an important role in supporting the industry’s decarbonisation goals.

“This transition is both necessary and welcome. But new fuel brings new safety considerations. We must not learn these lessons the hard way – through accidents, injury and loss. As we accelerate the adoption of alternative fuels, we must understand their properties and prepare our emergency response capabilities. “

He concluded: “All of us who take to the seas know that there is an element of risk involved. For all that we have discussed– maritime safety has always been, and will always be, about people.

“We can write rules, we can deploy technology, but in the end, we rely on each other – on the human spirit of caring for our fellowmen, of courage and conscientiousness.”

“Maritime safety is about technology and process, it is also about the human spirit and our willingness to collaborate and build partnerships — between regulators and industry, between technology and the people who use it, and between nations with a shared stake in keeping our seas safe,” Pillai said.