Transcript of Opening Remarks by Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Development Alvin Tan at the Singapore - Norway Innovation Conference, 4 November 2026, at the Amara Hotel, Singapore

Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Development Alvin Tan: His Excellency Leif Trana, Ambassador of Norway to Singapore,

Mr Leonard Opitz Stornes, President of the Norwegian Business Association Singapore (NBAS),

This is the first time I’m joining the Singapore – Norway Innovation Conference in person. When I first joined politics about six years ago, one of my first assignments was to be at the inaugural Conference, and that was during the COVID-19 pandemic. We did it virtually, so six years later, I am happy to meet you all in person, and to discuss many of the very relevant issues which are confronting our maritime sectors as well as both our countries.

We passed =the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Amendment) Bill in Parliament yesterday. The Bill is important because it modernises our maritime legislation to accommodate autonomous vessels, digitalisation, and emerging technologies, while also strengthening safety, cybersecurity, and regulatory oversight.

When I was at then-MTI, and working with the Association of Singapore Marine and Offshore Energy Industries (ASMI), we had worked on the sector’s digitalisation and decarbonisation. This Bill helps us to strengthen many of these across different spectrums.

Let me begin with a personal story.

I just returned yesterday from a workplan retreat with my community to Hainan, China, which is one of the southern provinces of China. While there, I took some time to visit my grandfather’s ancestral home in Wenchang, a city in Hainan. Many Chinese Singaporeans migrated from Southern China. Like many Hainanese migrants of his generation, my grandfather journeyed south to Singapore in search of a better life aboard steamships, known in historical Hainanese accounts as 火船, or “fire ships”. Around that same period, Norwegian merchant ships were sailing across the world’s oceans, transporting goods, connecting markets, and supporting livelihoods, much like what you guys are doing today in modern times. Different journeys, both shaped by the sea.

Singapore and Norway may be geographically far apart, but we have much in common. We are both maritime nations with histories, prosperity, and our very survival closely tied to the sea. More importantly, we have turned our geographical endowments and circumstances into strategic advantages by embracing innovation, connectivity, and openness. We also share a longstanding commitment to international cooperation and a rules-based global order, something that we cannot take for granted.

When our Foreign Ministers met last November, they identified the green transition, AI governance, and emerging technologies as shared priorities between our nations. These shared interests are important, as they bring us to today’s Conference theme, “From Seabed to Space: Governing Tomorrow’s Oceans”.

 The modern ship is part of a much larger, interconnected system stretching from seabed to space. Above the ship, satellites provide navigation, communications, and increasingly sophisticated monitoring capabilities, much like what many of your businesses are about. Onboard, digital systems help the crew navigate, improve efficiency, and manage safety. When the ship reaches port, sophisticated systems help coordinate vessel movement and movement of cargo. But that’s on the ship, and that’s above the water.

Beneath the waves lie the global infrastructure commons of submarine cables carrying intercontinental data traffic and subsea power cables transporting energy. All of these are modern marvels – in the ship, above the ship, and below the seabed. But greater connectivity also brings greater interdependence, vulnerabilities, and risks. For example, a damaged submarine cable can disrupt communications and financial transactions thousands of kilometres away. If you think about the possibility, a cyberattack on a major port can affect supply chains across continents. You see cyberattacks happening with more frequency now.

Then you have climate change, which adds to these challenges. Rising sea levels, extreme weather, and changes to marine ecosystems threaten coastal communities, maritime infrastructure, and livelihoods. But while technology provides many solutions and challenges, they are also getting much better. Satellite imagery, AI, and advanced monitoring systems help us better understand and protect our oceans. Maritime tech – many of you are at the forefront of this – can improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions.

These opportunities and challenges are borderless and do not quite fit neatly within traditional policy or regulatory boundaries. The question is how do we navigate these changing waters? What does a ship need to navigate safely, especially through unfamiliar waters? All of you would have your answers but let me suggest three things.

First, it needs a reliable chart to know where to go or where it can go. Second, it needs a capable navigator to assess changing conditions and steer a safe course. Third, it must be able to work with other ships, especially when it encounters difficult conditions. These three elements help us consider how we govern our oceans, not just today, but tomorrow.

Let me start with the first one – the chart. This chart is international law.

Just as a nautical chart provides a common reference for ships, international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, establishes the rights, obligations, and rules that enable countries to navigate and use the oceans peacefully. We cannot ever take that for granted, because as relatively small, highly connected maritime nations, Norway and Singapore depend on a stable international environment where countries, regardless of size, can pursue their interests and participate in global trade.

UNCLOS is fundamental to maritime stability, navigational rights and freedoms, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. At the same time, we must also support effective multilateral institutions such as the International Maritime Organization, or IMO, which develops international standards for maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.

Why did I start with international law as a chart?

It’s because it provides the foundation for stability.  This morning, we received news that Ambassador Rena Lee has been elected to the International Court of Justice. The election outcome is a proud and historical moment for Singapore which reflects Singapore’s longstanding commitment to the rules-based international order founded on international law.

This is a commitment we share with Norway. As relatively small maritime nations, both our countries have a strong interest in upholding international law, particularly the rules that govern our oceans, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

So that’s international law.

And international law is our chart, but good governance is our navigator. A chart helps us navigate, but a chart alone cannot steer a ship. We need good judgement and the ability to anticipate risks, and the flexibility to respond when conditions change. This applies to technology. If we think about autonomous ships, which we were discussing this morning, autonomous ships can transform maritime operations and are already transforming maritime operations by improving efficiency and safety. But they also raise important questions. One, how do we ensure navigational safety? Two, who is responsible when something goes wrong?

It’s a very similar question that we ask about autonomous vehicles on land which we need to apply to autonomous vessels in the sea. Similar questions also arise with AI and increasingly integrated maritime and space-based technologies. But we cannot wait until every new technology is fully developed before thinking about how to govern it.

At the same time, we should also not impose rules that unnecessarily hold back innovation. We need forward-looking, proportionate, and adaptable governance frameworks that work. This is important, and this is why it requires sustained dialogue between regulators, industry, and international organisations to better understand what would allow innovation to flourish.

Good governance then gives us the confidence to pursue new opportunities. That is the role of a capable navigator.

The third is about international cooperation.

That’s our key. So you have your chart. You have your navigator. Now you have your fleet, because even the most capable ship cannot navigate every challenge alone. When conditions become difficult, ships rely on one another. I mean, the traditional mayday is something which we all understand from maritime navigation. Ships share information, coordinate their movements, and come to one another’s assistance when conditions are bad. Similarly, this also applies to countries, because no country, however technologically advanced, can address the challenges facing our oceans on its own.

A cyberattack could be a disruption to submarine cables, or a major maritime incident can have consequences far beyond any one country’s waters. We’ve seen this over time. We therefore need stronger cooperation in information sharing, capacity building, and preparing for emergencies – not if they occur, but when they occur. We must also ensure the benefits of innovation – that many of you are already embarking on as a core part of your businesses – are shared more widely, particularly with developing countries and small island developing States.

This matters because the resilience of our maritime systems depends not just on the capabilities of individual companies and countries, but on how well we work together. A strong fleet is one where ships can support one another, and where no one is unnecessarily left behind.

These three principles reinforce one another. International law provides stability, good governance enables innovation, and international cooperation strengthens resilience and allows us to make progress together.

So what does this mean for Singapore and Norway? Our countries are well-placed to put these principles into practice. Norway has deep expertise in maritime and ocean technologies with capabilities and networks that can benefit Singapore-based companies. Singapore, on the other hand, is a premier global hub port and leading international maritime centre. We can in turn serve as a platform for Norwegian companies looking to grow their presence in Asia. I met many of you earlier this morning. You are either starting operations, or you have been here for generations and are expanding your footprint here in Singapore. We have complementary strengths, advanced innovation ecosystems, and a shared commitment to environmental sustainability. And we can do more together. 

We can bring our companies, startups, and research institutions closer together to develop, to test-bed, and to bring to market commercialised solutions. Together, we can shape international norms and standards and help other countries build the capabilities to benefit from new technologies.

Our cooperation also extends beyond the maritime sector. Last week, at the invitation of Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong participated in a virtual Leaders’ meeting to discuss follow-ups to the Norway – Finland Joint Declaration on “A Call for Control of Frontier AI Models”, which Singapore endorsed. This reflects our shared interest in ensuring that emerging technologies are developed and governed responsibly.

Singapore and Norway may not be the largest countries in the world. But through our expertise, innovation, and partnerships, we can make meaningful contributions to international cooperation. Today’s conference brings together the people who can turn these ideas into practical solutions, moving beyond exchanging ideas towards developing technologies, building partnerships and shaping standards that will govern tomorrow’s oceans.

Let me return to where I began. When my grandfather journeyed from Hainan to Singapore in search of a better life, the ships of his generation were very different from the ships you are building and that we see today. I can imagine that if he were alive today – he was a seafarer – he could scarcely have imagined the technologies that would transform our oceans. Ships connecting to satellites in space. Autonomous vessels navigating the seas. Digital networks beneath the waves connecting billions of people across the world.

However advanced our ships have become, some fundamentals remain. We still need reliable charts, capable navigation, and other ships we can count on. The same is true on how we govern our oceans.

So, thank you very much for taking your time to listen to me this morning. I wish you all fair winds and fruitful discussions.

Thank you.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

4 NOVEMBER 2026