Singapore, 21 April 2026 – Singapore Polytechnic (SP) today formalised six industry and academic partnerships at Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) 2026, bringing together port operators, technology companies, academic institutions and international partners to build long-term maritime capability. The partnerships, signed at the SP Networking Lunch on 21 April 2026, reflect SP’s intent to develop a connected ecosystem of expertise that translates the sector’s ambitions into workforce-ready outcomes.
The announcement comes as SMW marks its 20th edition under the theme “Actions Meet Ambition”, with SP participating as an exhibitor at EXPO@SMW for the second consecutive year.
Building an Ecosystem: Six Strategic Partnerships Across Three Priorities
The six collaborations span talent development, maritime cybersecurity, and decarbonisation, each drawing on a diverse mix of partners to ensure that training and capability development remain grounded in real operational needs.
Talent Development and Academic Progression
SP, through its Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA), has entered into partnerships with MLA College, PSA Marine, and ST Engineering AirX to strengthen maritime talent pathways across the career lifecycle. Through a collaboration with MLA College, SMA graduates and alumni will gain access to BSc and MSc programmes validated by the University of Plymouth, supported by aligned curricula, and eligible for relevant government funding schemes. The partnership with PSA Marine covers joint training courses, continuing education initiatives, and collaborative talent recruitment efforts. SP has also partnered with ST Engineering AirX to develop and deliver specialised training for Wing-in-Ground (WIG) Craft operations at the intersection of maritime and aviation technologies.
Advancing Maritime Cybersecurity
SP, through SMA, its Centre of Excellence in Maritime Safety (CEMS) and School of Computing (SoC), has entered into a Training Collaboration Agreement with the Singapore University of Technology and Design’s (SUTD) iTrust centre to co-develop training that strengthens workforce capabilities in maritime cyber risk management. Under this collaboration, SP and SUTD will launch the Advanced Maritime Cybersecurity for Shipboard Operations course, designed to equip seafarers with practical skills to identify and respond to cyber threats targeting critical shipboard systems.
Decarbonisation and Alternative Fuels
SP, together with the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Pyxis and Sea Forrest, will jointly develop and deliver the Electric Harbour Craft (eHC) Continuing Education & Training (CET) course, including a Certificate of Proficiency in Handling and Operating Fully Electric Small Craft Vessels. Rounding out SP’s international reach, a partnership with VOC Port India will enable VOC Port personnel to participate in SMA’s LNG, methanol, and ammonia bunkering training programmes.
More details on the partnerships are provided in Annex A.
SP Pavilion at EXPO@SMW: From Intent to Implementation
SP’s Pavilion, located at Halls 403-305, Booth F13, at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, showcases solutions and collaborations aligned with EXPO@SMW’s focus on digitalisation, decarbonisation and talent development.
The Digitalisation Zone features the MPA-SP Maritime SME Digital Adoption Pilot Programme, highlighting how participating companies have applied digital solutions to improve operational efficiency and data visibility, as well as SP’s Data Science and Analytics Centre’s (DSAC) AI-Enabled Document Query System, a secure, locally deployed platform for efficient retrieval of information from internal documents.
The Decarbonisation Zone presents solutions from SP’s Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Energy Efficiency (ESEE), including an AI-powered lifecycle assessment solution and energy efficiency evaluation and optimisation solutions, alongside SMA’s alternative marine fuel training programme and an immersive VR firefighting training system with thermo-feedback technology developed by SP’s Centre of Excellence in Maritime Safety (CEMS).
The Talent and Manpower Zone features SP’s Company and Workforce Transformation (CWT) approach, a structured three-step model drawing on the expertise of 13 SP Centres to help maritime businesses build long-term transformation strategies, as well as a showcase by SP’s Business Intelligence Centre (BIC) on building humanity-centred skills for an AI-enabled workforce.
Detailed showcases for the three zones are in Annex B.
Connecting the Next Generation of Maritime Talent
SP will bring close to 400 students to SMW 2026, underscoring its commitment to connecting the next generation of talent with the maritime sector. Around 100 Singapore Maritime Academy students will participate in Youth@SMW, engaging with industry leaders through panel discussions and learning journeys that offer first-hand exposure to emerging technologies, industry trends, and the operational realities of the sector. The remaining students will experience the breadth of the industry firsthand at the event.
The detailed programme for Youth@SMW is available here.
Ms Tan Yen Yen, Deputy Principal (Development), Singapore Polytechnic, said, “The partnerships we are formalising this week reflect the kind of ecosystem-building that the maritime sector needs. The industry is navigating a complex and rapidly evolving landscape across areas such as cybersecurity, decarbonisation, digitalisation and talent development, and by bringing together port operators, technology companies, academic institutions, and international partners, SP is working to ensure that the capabilities being built today are relevant, connected, and durable enough to serve the sector well into the future.”
ABOUT SINGAPORE POLYTECHNIC
Established in 1954, Singapore Polytechnic (SP) is Singapore’s first polytechnic. It has 10 schools that offer 30 full-time diploma courses and four common entry programmes for more than 12,800 students. Pedagogical innovation is foremost at SP. We have implemented institution-wide Flipped Learning and are at the forefront of using Analytics in Education. SP also leads the global CDIO (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate) Collaborative in the region. By ensuring our curriculum is just in time with industry developments, we can offer a solution-driven internship programme to our industry partners.
At SP, we are committed to nurturing self-directed, versatile graduates who are also imbued with sound values so that they can be life ready, work ready, world ready, and be of service to industry and society. We have more than 235,000 graduates; among them are successful entrepreneurs, top executives in multi-national and public-listed corporations, industry leaders and professionals across various industries, and leaders in government.
SP clinched the inaugural ASEAN People’s Award in 2015 for contributing to the region’s community-building efforts. We are also the first polytechnic to be awarded the President’s Award for the Environment in 2010, the President’s Social Service Award in 2011, and the President’s Award for Teachers in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023 and 2024.
