Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong on Tuesday emphasised the urgent global need to tackle climate change through collective action, describing it as a “fundamental existential challenge”. He was speaking at the ‘Leaders Dialogue on Green & Digital Maritime Corridors’ held at the JNPA Business Facilitation Centre in Navi Mumbai. The event was hosted by Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) in collaboration with industry body Assocham.
As Singapore and India mark 60 years of diplomatic relations, Yong highlighted the potential for both nations to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the maritime sector. He said that green and digital maritime corridors would play a vital role in achieving sustainability in global shipping and port operations. “This climate change is a global challenge and requires collective effort from everyone to contribute towards a more sustainable future,” he said during his address.
Yong also pointed to digitalisation, including the rise of artificial intelligence and generative AI, as a major force shaping the future. He remarked that digital technologies would serve as important tools for enabling industries to become more sustainable, efficient, and competitive. “In the advent of digitalisation, and now with AI and even gen-AI, I think this will become a key tool to allow companies and enterprises to transform and transit towards a more sustainable future,” he said.
He underlined the importance of green and digital maritime corridors in this context, and noted that both India and Singapore are working on a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop such a corridor. “I think this is our contribution towards a more sustainable maritime sector,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the Singapore Deputy Prime Minister visited the Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal (BMCT) at JNPA, accompanied by Acting Minister for Transport Jeffery Siow, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and JNPA Chairman Unmesh Sharad Wagh. The BMCT, operated by Singapore-based PSA Group, is one of the largest infrastructure investments by Singapore in India.
🔸Inauguration of 'CapitaLand Data Centre, Mumbai 01' at the hands of CM Devendra Fadnavis and Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore.
— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) August 12, 2025
Jeffrey Siow, Minister of Transport for Singapore and other dignitaries were present.
🔸मुख्यमंत्री देवेंद्र फडणवीस आणि सिंगापूरचे… pic.twitter.com/vn7nKkeIEy
Describing the terminal as a symbol of the strong and enduring partnership between India and Singapore, Yong said, “This investment, as well as many other investments that we have made in India, reflects the strong ties between India and Singapore and we hope we will continue to grow this partnership.”
He added that Phase 1 of the terminal had already shown how world-class port infrastructure could enhance trade efficiency in India by reducing turnaround times and boosting competitiveness for Indian exporters and importers. Phase 2 of the BMCT project is expected to double its handling capacity from 2.4 million TEUs to 4.8 million TEUs, making it the largest standalone container terminal in India.
Yong noted that PSA has invested a total of USD 2.3 billion in India over nearly three decades, with more than half of that investment directed towards BMCT. He said, “The success of BMCT demonstrates how Singapore companies can contribute to India’s growth and development.”
Amid a volatile global trade environment, he added that infrastructure such as BMCT would continue to play a crucial role in keeping trade routes active and economies resilient. The expansion of the terminal is also expected to generate significant employment opportunities for the local population.
