Singapore-headquartered provider of offshore, marine, and energy solutions Seatrium has forged a partnership with Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore) to advance green and sustainable solutions in the offshore and marine (O&M) sector.
To this end, the parties officially signed an addendum and training memorandum of understanding (MoU) on August 12 during the renaming ceremony of the former Sembcorp Marine Lab.
According to Seatrium, the newly named Seatrium New Energy Laboratory will continue to drive innovation, focusing on addressing challenges related to new energies, offshore renewables, marine decarbonization, and digitalization within the O&M industry.
The areas of research under the addendum include:
- Ammonia release mitigation and capture system: The research will pivot towards safe containment and treatment of purged ammonia from the system during the vessel/plant’s normal operation including loading/unloading of ammonia for safe management of the toxic gas before releasing to the atmosphere.
- MOF-based post-combustion carbon capture system: The research will focus on carbon capture technology using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that aim to reduce energy consumption by utilizing waste heat of the engine for desorption of MOF and achieving a smaller footprint as compared to industry-prevalent amine-based carbon capture systems. This will enable the adoption of MOF-based CCS onboard ships where available power and space for retrofits are limited.
- Digitalization enhancing marine electrification: Insights from the digital twin model will help identify suitable floating energy solutions to facilitate decarbonization efforts along nearshore and coastal areas. This research emphasizes a data-driven approach to determine the necessary floating energy infrastructure needed to accommodate the increasing energy demand.
As part of their collaboration with Seatrium New Energy Lab, Seatrium and NTU will promote continuous learning and workforce development. This initiative will enhance skill sets through various courses offered by PaCE@NTU, including the Virtual Learning Series (VLS), Continuing Education & Training (CET) and SkillsFuture-related courses, with the goal of creating sustainable offshore energy solutions in the industry.
Key curriculum areas include artificial intelligence, decarbonization, renewable energy, marine thermal management, robotics, and energy efficiency technologies.
Chris Ong, CEO of Seatrium, said: “Our partnership with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore underscores our commitment to advancing eco-friendly energy solutions in the O&M sector. The Seatrium New Energy Laboratory will serve as a testbed for innovative solutions for the industry, allowing aspiring researchers to test their hypotheses to develop conceptual ideas into commercially viable solutions for the market.
“Our collaboration with PaCE@NTU will also empower our workforce with essential skills for a sustainable future. Together, we are not just envisioning a greener tomorrow, we are actively building it.”