SINGAPORE – To further improve navigational safety at sea- A*STAR’s Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) and Singapore Polytechnic (SP)’s Centre of Excellence in Maritime Safety (CEMS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

A*STAR & Maritime Safety COE ink MOU for navigational safety

Inked this morning at the International Safety@Sea Conference 2019 organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)- the three-year MOU covers the development of new technological solutions and training systems to reduce maritime accidents. These involve research in areas such as human behavioural analytics- advanced numerical models and intelligent maritime traffic modelling to prepare future-ready seafarers for increasingly complex port environments of the future economy.

Under this MOU- IHPC’s expertise in complex modelling and simulations will be leveraged to enhance CEMS’ Next Generation Navigation Simulator (NGNS). This technological platform aims to develop training programmes that address industry challenges such as sea traffic congestion in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore- as well as human errors which are one of the top causes of maritime incidents.

IHPC will develop artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities that learn and understand human behaviour from video sequences- create advanced computational models to simulate realistic vessel safety scenarios- as well as predictive models to evaluate future scenarios of vessel interactions. One intended outcome of the MOU would be the translation of realistic and practical scenarios that enhance training pedagogy in NGNS for students and maritime professionals. Further information on the research projects are included in Annex A.

Dr Lim Keng Hui- Executive Director of IHPC- said- “Singapore’s reputation as a leading maritime capital and a thriving maritime ecosystem is in part due to the local build-up of maritime technology and capabilities over the years. This IHPC and CEMS collaboration can help Singapore’s maritime workforce learn new skills and tap on digitalization for growth- and also develop advanced capabilities needed for the maritime and shipping industry of the future. A*STAR will continue to support the public sector’s needs with our technologies.”

Mr Hee Joh Liang- Chairman of CEMS Board and Deputy Principal of Singapore Polytechnic said- “We expect a paradigm shift in the way seafarers operate and the environment they work in foreseeable future. Through our collaboration with IHPC- we will develop human centric technologies to enable us to redefine future competencies for the shipping industry. SP will be a significant contributor to maritime safety- by providing skills-based training to support not only current but future operations- such as remotely operated and autonomous vessels.”

About Centre of Excellence in Maritime Safety

The Centre of Excellence in Maritime Safety (CEMS) is jointly launched by Singapore Polytechnic (SP) and the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) in September 2018. CEMS partners our valued industry partners- government agencies and Institutes of Higher Learning- to develop human centric technologies to enhance navigational and operational safety. As part of Singapore’s strategy to upgrade the skill sets of our workforce- CEMS will enhance training systems & solutions with SP’s Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA) to ensure our seafarers are future-ready.

About Institute of High Performance Computing

A*STAR's Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) was established in August 1998 to provide leadership in high performance computing as a strategic resource for scientific inquiry and industry development. It seeks to power discoveries through advanced methodologies- techniques and new tools in modelling- simulation and artificial intelligence.

Its core research areas are in the realm of complex-coupled systems- mechanics and fluid dynamics- large-scale systems- digital modelling- adaptive and collaborative computing- data mining and analysis- computational electronics and electromagnetics- computational materials science and chemistry.

About the Agency for Science- Technology and Research (A*STAR)

The Agency for Science- Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector agency that spearheads economic oriented research to advance scientific discovery and develop innovative technology. Through open innovation- we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit society.

As a Science and Technology Organisation- A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore- and enhances lives by contributing to societal benefits such as improving outcomes in healthcare- urban living- and sustainability.

We play a key role in nurturing and developing a diversity of talent and leaders in our Agency and research entities- the wider research community and industry. A*STAR’s R&D activities span biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering- with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis. For ongoing news- visit www.a-star.edu.sg.

Annex A – Details of the research projects

• Human Behavioural Analytics: Develop artificial intelligence capabilities to learn and understand human behaviour from video sequences; determine students and maritime professionals’ soft competencies in situational awareness and other areas that are critical for maritime safety


• Advanced Numerical Models: Create high-fidelity computational models to achieve realistic simulation of vessel safety performance scenarios for higher accuracy of ship maneuverability


• Intelligent Maritime Traffic Simulation: Develop predictive models to evaluate future scenarios of manned and unmanned vessel interactions; provide proactive decision support to enhance maritime traffic situational awareness and navigational safety