DSTA signs MOU with ExxonMobil to explore use of sustainable fuel

Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd to jointly explore the use of sustainable fuel, particularly the adoption of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil¹, for a fleet of vessels operated by the Republic of Singapore Navy. The MOU was signed on the sidelines of the Singapore Defence Technology Summit² on 23 March 2023.

DSTA recognises the importance of partnering the private sector to support the Ministry of Defence’s three major green initiatives – carbon emission, water and waste to tackle climate change. This new collaboration with ExxonMobil will allow it to better understand ways to reduce emissions, without compromising seamen’s operational effectiveness. DSTA’s Director Naval Systems, Mr Ong Li Koon, said, “Given the real threats posed by climate change, embracing sustainable methods puts us in good stead in reducing the carbon emissions across the naval fleet. The collaboration demonstrates DSTA’s commitment towards realising Singapore’s net zero carbon emissions 2050 targets.”

“We are glad to embark on this collaboration with DSTA to explore the use of lower- emission fuels for their vessels, in support of their decarbonisation journey,” said Mr Chua Haur-Bin, Asia Pacific Sales Director, Marine, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. “ExxonMobil is committed to helping our customers meet their decarbonisation goals while fulfilling their operational demands today, and we have the experience and capabilities to meet that need. We remain focused on advancing low-carbon energy solutions, including producing 200,000 barrels per day of lower-emission fuels by 2030.”

¹ Renewable fuels are those produced from a renewable energy source. Examples include fuels made from biomass such as wood or crop waste, from oil extracted from plants, or from previously used materials (such as used cooking oil, or animal fats). Hydrotreated vegetable oil, also known as renewable diesel, is produced by carefully refining the renewable energy source into a high-quality fuel component that can be blended with conventional diesel.

² Hosted by DSTA, the Singapore Defence Technology Summit is a unique gathering of global tech leaders from government, industry, academia, and think tanks, to network, confer, and collaborate in the development of defence and security capabilities. Visit https://www.techsummit.sg for more details. 

About Defence Science and Technology Agency

The Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) is a top-notch technology organisation that drives innovation and delivers state-of-the-art capabilities to make the Singapore Armed Forces a formidable fighting force. Harnessing and exploiting science and technology, our engineers and IT professionals leverage multidisciplinary expertise to equip our soldiers with advanced systems to defend Singapore. DSTA also contributes its technological expertise to support national-level developments. To achieve our mission, DSTA excels in systems engineering, digitalised platforms, cyber, software development and more.

Visit  www.dsta.gov.sg for more information.