Singapore and Brazil have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the Singapore-Brazil Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC), an initiative aimed at developing cooperation between both countries in decarbonization and digitalization of maritime transport. The agreement was signed on August 28 by Singapore's Transport Minister, Jeffrey Siow, and Brazil's Minister of Ports and Airports, Tomé Franca.
The corridor will combine the capabilities of both countries in energy, port, and maritime matters. Brazil has renewable resources and production capacity that, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), could be used to produce marine fuels with zero or near-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Singapore, for its part, occupies a central position in the global fuel supply for ships and has an ecosystem dedicated to the development of new solutions for the maritime sector.
One of the areas included in the memorandum will be the development of supply chains for alternative marine fuels. The cooperation aims to connect Brazil's energy production capacity with the fuel supply infrastructures and operations available in Singapore. For now, authorities have not communicated which specific fuels will be used, nor announced routes, pilot projects, or dates for the startup of the first operations.
Digitalization constitutes the second axis of the agreement. Singapore and Brazil will study mechanisms for exchanging digital information between their maritime and port systems in order to improve operations related to maritime transport and port activity. Both countries will also collaborate with sector companies in research, development, and adoption of emerging maritime technologies.
