Maritime energy test facility to be established in Singapore

The facility will be known as the Maritime Energy Test Bed, and will be available to scientists and engineers from academia and industry to carry out R&D work in green ship and port technologies, including alternative fuels, fuel additives, engine emissions and control. The test bed will use a 1,500kW diesel engine which can be modified to run on different fuels, as well as advanced equipment for research in energy storage, noise pollution and waste heat recovery.

It will be jointly funded by NTU and the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI), with support from industry, with a total budget of around S$11 million over the next 10 years. As well as R&D the cetre will provide engineering training.

SMI chairman Teo Siong Seng said: “The establishment of the Maritime Energy Test Bed will help in the translation of innovative technologies from lab-scale to large-scale application where new technologies will be tested prior to sea trials. The METB is a significant component in demonstrating and raising Singapore’s maritime R&D capabilities and expertise.”

Professor Chan Siew Hwa of NTU added: “Energy studies and the development of future energy solutions are key pillars of sustainability research, which NTU has a strong expertise in. With this new facility, we can continue to keep Singapore at the forefront of maritime research and development, tackling future challenges at all levels.”