Event report
Past Event |French-Singaporean Maritime Roundtable Discussion & Networking Event
On Wednesday, 22 April 2026, the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (FCCS), in collaboration with the Embassy of France in Singapore, the French Ministry of the Sea, the French International Register, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), successfully hosted a high-level French-Singaporean Maritime Roundtable Discussion & Networking Event at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, as part of Singapore Maritime Week 2026.
Bringing together over 200 industry leaders and key stakeholders from France, Singapore, and the region, the event provided a timely platform to address one of the maritime sector’s most pressing challenges: advancing decarbonisation while navigating evolving technological, commercial, and regulatory landscapes.
The event opened with remarks by Mrs Sylvie Gleises, President of the French Chamber of Commerce, and H.E. Stephen Marchisio, Ambassador of France to Singapore, followed by our Guest of Honor, Mr Murali Pillai SC, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Law, Singapore. All speakers highlighted the strong and longstanding maritime partnership between France and Singapore, as well as the importance of international cooperation in driving sustainable transformation across the industry.
Two insightful panel discussions explored key dimensions of maritime decarbonisation:
1. Charting the course of the energy transition in global shipping
Moderated by Eric Banel (Director General for French Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture – DGAMPA), this session brought together leading industry players to discuss alternative fuels, investment strategies, and technological innovation required to accelerate the sector’s transition toward net-zero emissions.
Speakers included:
Pierre Carassus, Managing Director, Head of Maritime Industries, Asia Pacific, Société Générale, François-Xavier Accard, Managing Director, CMA CGM, Théo Reibel, Director & General Manager, (Gaztransport & Technigaz) South East Asia, GTT, Stéphane Basset-Chercot, Vice President Marine Fuels, TotalEnergies and Emmanuel Schalit, Chief Executive Officer, OceanWings
2. The role of ports in global shipping decarbonisation
Moderated by Tan Woei Tyng, Senior Director, International Division, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore(MPA), the second roundtable focused on how ports can act as critical enablers of the energy transition, and the opportunities available in harnessing innovation and digitalisation to advance maritime decarbonisation.
Speakers included:
Kris Danaradjou, Deputy CEO in charge of Development, Haropa Port, Cheryl Lim, Assistant VP of Group Sustainability, PSA International, Amal Louis, Head of Business Development, Grand Port Maritime de Marseille and Nick Brown, Corporate Affairs Director, Marine & Offshore, Bureau Veritas
After closing remarks by Eric Banel, Director General for DGAMPA, participants gathered for a networking cocktail, fostering connections and exchanges among French, Singaporean, and international maritime stakeholders.
A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors — Bureau Veritas, CMA CGM, GTT, HAROPA PORT, Port of Marseille Fos, Societe Generale and TotalEnergies — for their invaluable support in making this event possible.
For more information, please contact Valerie Conxicoeur vconxicoeur(@)fccsingapore.com
