Tertiary Students Present Winning Proposals to Harness Technology to Advance Maritime Sustainability and Enhance the Well-Being of Seafarers at the MaritimeONE Case Summit 2024 Grand Finals and Awards Ceremony

At the MaritimeONE Case Summit (MCS) 2024 Grand Finals and Awards Ceremony held last evening, the winning teams for the respective challenge statements issued by sponsoring companies–CMA CGM, Pacific Carriers Limited, Petredec Global and TotalEnergies Marine Fuels–were announced. Following the prize presentation, the champion teams presented their innovative proposals addressing industry challenges that ranged from enhancing shipping’s sustainability related practices to improving seafarer’s well-being.

Mr. Baey Yam Keng, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment & Ministry of Transport, graced the event as the Guest-of-Honour.

Organised yearly in partnership with leading maritime multinationals, the MaritimeONE Case Summit brings together tertiary students from diverse educational backgrounds and institutions to respond to challenge statements at the nexus of business, technology and sustainability, which reflect a global industry on the cusp of transformative change.

This year, the case competition saw the participation of a record 416 students across 127 teams from Singapore’s public universities and polytechnics. The participants come from a spectrum of disciplines including maritime studies, supply chain management, business, chemical and biomolecular engineering, data science and analytics, economics, and more.

Quote from SMF Chairman

“Each year, the MaritimeONE Case Summit promotes innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration amongst our tertiary students by encouraging them to apply their problem-solving skills to complex challenges in the maritime industry. I thank CMA CGM, Pacific Carriers Limited, Petredec Global, and TotalEnergies Marine Fuels for your support in nurturing our youth through experiential learning opportunities and mentorship,” said Mr. Hor Weng Yew, Chairman, Singapore Maritime Foundation.

Quotes from the CMA CGM Group and Champion Team

“Congratulations to the winning teams and thank you to all participants for bringing forward innovative ideas to address the challenge of reducing Scope 3 emissions. We’re inspired by the creativity shown and look forward to exploring how some of these proposed solutions can further enhance our existing practices. As a sponsor of the MaritimeONE Case Summit for the third year, we’re particularly encouraged to see a really strong female lineup among the top three teams this year. We’re proud to support and nurture these bright minds for the future of the maritime industry,” said Mr. Bo Wegener, Chief Executive Officer, CMA CGM Asia Pacific.

“Our passion for ensuring sustainability and survivability of the future motivated us to participate in MCS 2024, as it offers a unique platform to address pressing environmental challenges. This competition not only sharpens our problem-solving and collaborative skills, but also encourages Singapore youths to engage with sustainability, fostering a generation of innovative thinkers dedicated to shaping a more resilient and eco-conscious future,” said Team Biohazards, champion team of CMA CGM Group.

Quotes from Pacific Carriers Limited and Champion Team

“We are thrilled by the overwhelming and enthusiastic response from students at this year’s MaritimeONE Case Summit. It’s truly inspiring to see future leaders of the maritime industry engaging with one of our sector’s most pressing challenges—supporting the welfare of seafarers. We hope they carry forward this passion, developing people-centered solutions that enhance both safety and efficiency in shipping operations, recognizing crew well-being as essential to achieving operational excellence,” said Captain Chubasco Monteiro, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Carriers Limited.

“People are the driving force behind a company’s success, and seafarers play a pivotal role in shipping operations as the backbone of all activities. We believe that their welfare is an often-overlooked aspect of the maritime industry. This case summit gave us the opportunity to focus on the well-being of crew members by prioritizing mental health and onboard safety,” said Team Green Elephants, champion team of Pacific Carriers Limited.

Quotes from Petredec Global and Champion Team

“Petredec Global is proud to partner with the Singapore Maritime Foundation on this innovative project that offers students the opportunity to provide solutions to timely, real-world problems in a professional setting. The students’ experience will serve them well as they prepare to enter the workforce while also addressing many of the crucial skills they will need to cultivate throughout their careers, such as critical thinking and presenting distilled findings to decision makers with a view to influencing outcomes. The level of preparation and analytical rigour exhibited by the students was tremendously encouraging and we look forward to highlighting excerpts of their presentations in connection with raising awareness for the pivotal role LPG can play as a cooking fuel in the developing world,” said Mr. John Papaioannou, Group Chief Financial Officer, Petredec Group.

“As Singaporeans, we enjoy easy access to affordable and reliable energy, and we often take this for granted. However, close to 30% do not have access to clean cooking fuel, leading to negative social and environmental outcomes. Our team hopes to spread awareness that greater effort is needed to drive greener energy supply to meet the growing demand, especially in lower middle-income countries,” said Team Captain Crunch, champion team of Petredec Global.

Quotes from TotalEnergies Marine Fuels and Champion Team

“We are incredibly impressed by the dedication and creativity of the finalist teams at this year’s MaritimeONE Case Summit. They have taken a complex challenge on building a chain of custody model for low-carbon fuels and made it relatable to a broader audience, exceeding our expectations. We are grateful to the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) for providing this platform, which has given students a valuable opportunity to tackle real industry challenges and offered us fresh perspectives. Congratulations to all participants and thank you to SMF for making this engagement possible,” said Mr. Stéphane Basset-Chercot, Deputy Vice President of TotalEnergies’ Aviation and Marine Fuels Division.

“What led us to participate in MCS 2024, was the opportunity presented to us to tackle real-world challenges faced in the maritime industry. In the case of our challenge statement from TOTALEnergies Marine Fuels, the proposal for a chain of custody mechanism in Southeast Asia as part of the industry’s efforts to decarbonise, intrigued us and spurred us to take it up. Like TOTALEnergies Marine Fuels, the other challenge statements from the participating companies provide students a platform to demonstrate their creativity and engage with industry leaders to solve these pressing issues. The MCS remains crucial for Singapore’s youths to broaden our thinking and inspire us to contribute to a greener, more equitable future,” said Team SENDIT, champion team of TotalEnergies Marine Fuels.
Source: The Singapore Maritime Foundation