The MaritimeONE Case Summit 2026 festival was held with the presence of Murali Pillai, the Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Transport of Singapore. The event was dedicated to introducing the winning teams and evaluating the innovations of students in fields related to the maritime industry.
Goals and Challenges of the Festival
In its seventh edition, the main goal of this festival was to encourage university and polytechnic students in Singapore to use their knowledge to solve practical challenges in the maritime industry. This year, four main challenges were posed by leading maritime companies including AET, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Petredec Global, and Pacific International Lines (PIL), which included improving lightering operations, creating a framework for reducing carbon emissions, enhancing energy security, and optimizing bunkering decisions in ports.
Success in Attracting Students
This event attracted 374 students from 120 teams, nearly doubling the number of polytechnic students compared to the previous edition. The active participation of students in this festival reflects their diversity and multidisciplinary capabilities in the fields of maritime studies, data science, business, supply chain, and engineering.
Nick Potter, President and CEO of AET, commented on this year's challenge: "We believe the future of shipping lies in the people we invest in today. The quality of the teams' thinking in this challenge was very impressive, and some of the data-driven solutions proposed to reduce costs and enhance safety and resilience in our operations were commendable."
Grace Chia, CEO of MSC Asia Regional Office, also expressed her satisfaction with the depth of thought and innovation in the festival presentations. She stated: "This challenge was not just about calculating emissions, but creating practical solutions that organizations can realistically implement. Each team presented unique perspectives and demonstrated that the future of leadership in sustainability is in strong hands."
Finally, Andrew Houtsong, Head of LPG Business at Petredec Global, emphasized the importance of the ideas and insights of students in the current circumstances and congratulated the winning teams. This festival provided an opportunity for knowledge and experience exchange between the younger generation and the maritime industry, helping to enhance students' practical and theoretical skills.
