Speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Trade) Gan Kim Yong at OceanX Summit 2026

Mark Dalio, Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer, OceanX

Vincent Pieribone, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Science Officer, OceanX

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. Good morning. I am happy to join you aboard the OceanXplorer for the opening of the OceanX Summit here in Singapore.

2. Thank you to Ray, Mark and the OceanX team for bringing together leaders from science, government, industry and philanthropy.

3. The ocean sustains livelihoods, and supports ecosystems, much of it which we still know very little of and are still discovering and learning about.

4. Yet no country owns it, and no country can protect it alone.

Our responsibility begins at home

5. Singapore is an island nation, and a global maritime and trading hub. Much of our economic connection with the world depends on the sea.

6. At the same time, as a low-lying island, we must prepare for the effects of climate change on our coastline and marine environment.

7. Responsible stewardship begins with strengthening our knowledge and capabilities in marine and climate science.

8. Through the Marine Climate Change Science Programme, our researchers are studying how climate change is affecting Singapore’s marine environment.

a. This includes the resilience of our marine habitats, and how blue carbon and other nature-based solutions can contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation.

b. This research also supports our wider efforts to prepare for long-term sea-level rise challenges.

9. Earlier this year, we strengthened our framework for coastal protection and introduced new standards to guide the planning and design of coastal protection measures.

a. The measures we adopt and the infrastructure we build today must meet our requirements decades later, even as climate change continues to evolve.

Our responsibility extends beyond our shores

10. The ocean is part of our global commons. We all have a stake in its future, and we all have a responsibility to protect it.

11. Singapore will contribute what we can – our knowledge, capabilities and connections – to this collective effort.

12. One example is the “Into the Deep: Monsoon Rise” expedition jointly led by the National University of Singapore and OceanX last October.

a. Researchers from Singapore worked alongside scientists from Southeast Asia and the Pacific to explore a largely unknown area of the eastern Indian Ocean.

b. Together, they mapped more than 8,300 square kilometres of the seafloor and collected biological samples and observations from the deep sea. Much of the area had not previously been explored at this level of detail.

13. Just as importantly, it allows researchers from different countries to work together at sea, share expertise, and strengthen our region’s scientific capabilities.

14. Such cooperation will become increasingly important as countries implement the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, or BBNJ Agreement.

a. I must give credit to Singapore’s Ambassador Rena Lee, who chaired the intergovernmental process that led to the adoption of the Agreement in 2023, which entered into force earlier this year.

15. The Agreement gives the international community a framework to preserve biodiversity, and use marine resources responsibly in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

16. But we also need the scientific knowledge, research capabilities and technology to better manage the marine environment.

17. Singapore can contribute by working with our regional and international partners to develop capabilities, share knowledge and expertise, and enable more countries to participate in this collective endeavour.

From shared responsibility to collective action

18. To succeed, we need partnerships that bring together knowledge, capital and networks, and put them to work. Together, these partnerships can make an impact in several ways.

19. First, education.

a. We need to develop scientists, researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, policymakers and others who have the expertise to apply ocean knowledge in their respective fields.

20. Second, research and innovation.

a. There is still much about the ocean that we do not know.

b. Advances in sensors, robotics, artificial intelligence and other technologies are giving us new ways to observe the ocean and understand changes going on.

21. Singapore has some experience in bringing research and industry together to translate new technologies into practical applications.

a. We launched our Maritime Technology and Research Roadmap earlier this year, with more than S$100 million committed over the next five years.

b. The Roadmap brings government, research institutions and industry together to develop, test and deploy technologies in areas such as autonomous port operations, smart ships and alternative energy.

22. We can apply the same spirit of collaboration to ocean-related challenges – developing better ways to observe our oceans, understand climate risks, and protect marine environments.

23. Third, we need capital to turn good ideas into practical solutions.

a. Governments will continue to invest in public goods such as research and infrastructure.

b. Companies bring technology, commercial expertise and the ability to deploy solutions at scale.

c. Philanthropic organisations and family offices can play a complementary role, providing patient capital, networks and expertise that can support exploration and early-stage ideas where the potential benefits may be significant, but commercial returns may take time to realise.

24. Working together, we can create pathways for promising ideas to move from research, to test of concept, to wider application.

25. Finally, policy. Ultimately, we need better knowledge to make better policy decisions.

26. Governments need reliable information and data to assess climate risks, plan infrastructure, manage marine environments and work with one another to protect the global commons.

27. This is why the connections between science, technology, investment and policy matter.

Conclusion

28. This is also why gatherings such as the OceanX Summit are important and valuable.

29. We have on board this vessel scientists who expand the boundaries of our knowledge; businesses and innovators who can turn knowledge into solutions; philanthropists who can provide capital and networks; and policymakers who can help create the conditions for these efforts to succeed.

30. The opportunity is to bring these strengths together.

31. Singapore will continue to do our part.

a. We will take responsibility for the waters and coastline around us.

b. We will contribute our capabilities and connections to regional and international efforts.

c. And we will work with partners like all of you here today to deepen our collective understanding of the ocean and translate that knowledge into action.

32. I wish all of you a productive and memorable OceanX Summit. Thank you.