Singapore will serve as a testbed to trial and pilot the use of digital ship identity in maritime applications such as digital port clearance and digital bunkering.
During the ongoing Singapore Maritime Week, the Maritime & Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore has agreed to host the so-called Marine Vessel Pass (MVP) trials.
S&P Global Market Intelligence manages the International Maritime Organization (IMO) database of unique identification numbers that all vessels are assigned and has been working with Bunkerchain for a number of years developing the MVP.
“We envision a unique Digital Pass for all seafaring vessels tied to a ship’s IMO number to enable digital transactions and process automation during port calls,” Bunkerchain states on its site. “The IMO number is never reassigned to another ship and is shown on the ship’s certificates. It is similar to a citizen’s digital identities tied to a National Registration ID database.”
“Digital ship identity plays a crucial role in making electronic transactions more secure, trusted, and efficient in the maritime sector,” the MPA stated in a release. “When deployed in tandem with electronic signatures, these digital technologies will eliminate the need for physical ship stamps and wet ink signatures, and accelerate the transition towards a truly digital, secure, and paperless operations.”
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