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The debate has sharpened as enterprises test AI systems for strategy modelling, risk alerts, market forecasting, compliance reviews and scenario planning. These tools promise faster decisions and broader analysis, but they also raise questions over directors’ duties, audit trails and responsibility when algorithmic advice shapes corporate choices.

Singapore has positioned itself as one of Asia’s most active AI governance centres, combining public investment, industry adoption programmes and voluntary frameworks rather than sweeping legislation. The approach is designed to encourage innovation while keeping human accountability at the centre of AI deployment. That balance is now being tested as companies examine whether AI can move beyond back-office functions and become a structured part of board deliberations.

The issue has gained urgency because AI systems are no longer limited to producing summaries or automating routine workflows. Newer agentic AI tools can plan tasks, reason across data, trigger actions and interact with software systems with limited human intervention. For corporate boards, such capability creates both opportunity and exposure. A system that can flag liquidity pressure, supply-chain disruption or reputational risk may improve oversight. A system that gives flawed recommendations based on incomplete data, hidden bias or weak assumptions may deepen governance failures.

Singapore’s corporate law framework continues to place responsibility on human directors. Directors are expected to act honestly, use reasonable diligence and discharge their duties in the company’s interests. That obligation does not shift to software vendors, consultants or internal AI teams merely because a board relied on machine-generated analysis. If directors accept AI output without challenge, the legal and reputational risk remains with the board.

Regulators have therefore focused on controls rather than replacement. Financial institutions already face sharper expectations because AI is being used in credit, insurance, fraud detection, wealth management and customer engagement. The fairness, ethics, accountability and transparency principles promoted for data-driven finance have helped shape how firms assess AI systems, particularly where customer outcomes may be affected. Proposed AI risk-management guidance for the sector points towards stronger board oversight, model governance, validation, monitoring and escalation procedures.

For non-financial companies, the same discipline is becoming harder to avoid. Listed companies must show that boards oversee strategy, risk and management performance. As AI begins to influence capital allocation, workforce planning, cyber-risk management and mergers, directors may need to demonstrate that they understand what the tools can and cannot do. Board papers generated by AI may require clear labelling, version control and records of the human judgement applied before decisions are approved.

The government’s wider AI strategy has added momentum. Singapore has refreshed national AI priorities, expanded support for enterprises and set out plans to help thousands of businesses adopt AI meaningfully. Public investment in AI research, computing capacity and talent is intended to strengthen national competitiveness, while partnerships with major technology firms are drawing more AI activity into the city-state.

Corporate leaders are watching these moves closely. Singapore’s appeal as a trusted business hub depends partly on whether it can offer companies a stable governance environment for AI adoption. The city-state has avoided a heavily prescriptive regime, preferring practical frameworks, testing tools and assurance mechanisms. That has helped businesses experiment, but it also means boards cannot simply wait for detailed rules before acting.

A growing concern is explainability. Board decisions often involve judgement under uncertainty, but directors must still be able to justify their reasoning. AI tools can generate polished recommendations without revealing how conclusions were reached or which data points carried the most weight. That creates problems for audit committees, external auditors and regulators when a decision later comes under scrutiny.

Another risk is over-reliance. Directors may treat AI output as neutral because it appears data-driven, even when the underlying model reflects skewed training data, weak prompts or commercial assumptions built by vendors. Smaller enterprises face an added challenge because they may lack internal expertise to test systems independently. For them, AI adoption can depend heavily on third-party products whose limitations are not always clear.

Singapore’s emerging answer is likely to rest on disclosure, assurance and accountability. AI “nutrition labels” under discussion would help users understand intended uses and limitations of AI products. Testing frameworks and accredited evaluation bodies could make it easier for companies to compare tools and identify risks before deployment. These measures would not remove directors’ obligations, but they could give boards a clearer basis for responsible adoption.

FastPass targets high-value sectors including advanced electronics, aerospace technology, precision machinery and automation systems, and recycled plastics.

By coordinating eight key government agencies—including Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI), the Department of Industrial Works, the Customs Department, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), the Energy Regulatory Commission, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority, and the Provincial Electricity Authority—the initiative removes historical friction in permitting, environmental approvals, and infrastructure connectivity.

At the ceremony, the eight agencies formalized their coordination by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) committing to reduce approval and licensing timelines by 20 to 50 percent across key investment milestones, including factory permits, free-zone processing, environmental impact assessments, and power grid connections.

The ceremony drew more than 300 attendees, including foreign diplomats, international chambers of commerce, and multinational executives.

“In today’s global economy, speed is the ultimate competitive differentiator,” said Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of Thailand. “The Thai government is shifting from regulator to active business facilitator. By removing regulatory hurdles, increasing speed, and ensuring policy transparency, we are driving physical investments that will generate next-generation employment and secure Thailand’s long-term regional competitiveness.”

The push to turn approved projects into physical factories follows a historic surge in investment applications. BOI received a record USD 54.5 billion (approximately 1.8 trillion baht) in investment applications in 2025. Momentum has carried into 2026, with first-quarter applications already exceeding USD 30.3 billion (approximately 1 trillion baht).

The USD 21 billion total spans two FastPass cohorts. In the first phase, FastPass resolved regulatory bottlenecks for 76 previously approved projects valued at over USD 14.4 billion (approximately 474 billion baht). Today’s ceremony launched the second cohort: 25 projects from 23 companies worth USD 6.7 billion (approximately 223 billion baht), each receiving a formal Thailand FastPass certificate.

“We are focusing heavily on ‘realized investment’ entering the actual economy,” said Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. “The FastPass mechanism is designed to deliver immediate, concrete economic results in the short term, while laying down long-term structural benefits that will distribute wealth across our broader economy. These 25 pilot projects from 23 companies are projected to generate over 13,000 high-skilled jobs. Combined with the 76 projects cleared under FastPass in the preceding phase, total investment mobilized by the program exceeds 700 billion baht.”

This mechanism converts corporate capital into domestic benefits across five key dimensions: driving investment-led GDP growth, generating high-skilled careers, transferring technical know-how, integrating local SMEs, and creating localized economic multipliers within regional communities.

“The FastPass program fundamentally changes how Thailand works with global investors,” said Mr. Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary-General of the BOI. “We put eight agencies into one pipeline. Permit timelines that once stretched for months can now be cut by up to half. That gets factories built, creates high-skilled jobs, and pulls Thai suppliers into global supply chains.”

Global corporations participating in the FastPass program cited Thailand’s strategic location, modern infrastructure, robust supply chains, skilled workforce, and favorable investment policies as the key drivers for their expansion.

“Thailand possesses the talent, infrastructure, and policy support necessary for next-generation industries,” said Mr. Simon Gwozdz, CEO of Equatorial Space (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a developer of low-Earth orbit space launch vehicles. “The BOI’s one-stop coordination significantly reduces regulatory complexity.”

“The availability of raw materials, infrastructure, and proactive government support were critical in our decision to anchor our regional operations here,” said Mr. Donald Carpenter, CFO of U.S.-based PureCycle Technologies, Inc. “The FastPass mechanism directly improves our operational efficiency.”

“The speed of obtaining factory licenses under the scheme has accelerated our operational readiness, creating a smoother path to scale,” said Mr. Larry Foo of SAM Precision (Thailand), a Malaysia-based manufacturer of precision components for the semiconductor industry.

“The depth of Thailand’s electronics supply chain and supportive state policies were critical to our investment decision,” said Mr. Kris Leetavorn, Director of Advanced Connection Technology, a high-density printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer. “The FastPass program drastically simplifies state coordination, allowing us to hit aggressive deployment timelines.”

To demonstrate Thailand’s readiness for advanced industries, the government showcased technologies currently being deployed or manufactured in Thailand, including humanoid robotics, LiDAR sensor systems, aerospace technology, and advanced electronics.

“Thailand FastPass proves what is possible when all agencies move in the same direction—approved investments actually get built,” Mr. Narit concluded. “The world is reshuffling supply chains. Investors need clarity and speed. Thailand is ready to deliver both. We will keep expanding FastPass to cover more permits and more strategic industries, creating quality jobs, strengthening supply chains, and raising Thailand’s long-term competitiveness.”

USD conversion based on a reference exchange rate of approximately 33 baht per USD (Bank of Thailand, June 2026).

Hashtag: #BIO #Thailand #FastPassProgram

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Thailand Board of Investment

Established in 1966, the Office of the Board of Investment (BOI) has continuously played an essential role for over 60 years in promoting value-adding investment for the country, from both foreign and Thai investors, to enhance national competitiveness and drive sustained economic growth and long-term national competitiveness.

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 June 2026 – NAMAA, a real estate technology group that builds infrastructure to scale food delivery and production and a part of the wider ATOMS Group, has publicly introduced its Middle East food infrastructure portfolio. Since 2019, the company has quietly acquired and developed 150 facilities across the region, each designed to serve a distinct function within the food and beverage (F&B) ecosystem. With a clear sense of where the market is heading, NAMAA is now ready to share what has been built and where it is going next.

A Deliberate Approach to Foundation-Building
From the outset, NAMAA chose to focus its energy on fundamentals: understanding the regional landscape, forging meaningful partnerships, and putting physical infrastructure in place. That groundwork has since translated into a portfolio of facilities spanning Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The portfolio currently comprises three core offerings:

• KitchenPark facilities – Ready-to-use CloudKitchens® commercial kitchens and Central Processing Units (CPUs) for F&B brands looking to scale without the capital burden of traditional premises
• ProFood Bespoke builds — Tailored culinary infrastructure designed around specific operational requirements
• CloudRetail – Purpose-built to close the gap between production and the end consumer
• HungerHub – The region’s #1 chain of digital food courts
• Picnic & Future Foods – Two new brands soon to be launched in the region

Significant and Sustained Investment
In 2025, NAMAA deployed close to $100 million across the Middle East, directed entirely towards expanding its footprint, supporting existing operators, and responding to the sustained demand it continues to see across markets. That investment is not slowing.

Dubai, in particular, has become a focal point. In 2026, NAMAA plans to invest approximately $40 million into the emirate alone, a marked increase from the $28 million committed there in 2025. It is a market NAMAA has come to regard as one of the most dynamic in the region: fast-moving, receptive to new models in food and logistics, and broadly supportive of the kind of infrastructure-led approach the company brings.

A Region at an Inflexion Point
The Middle East’s food landscape is shifting. Consumer demand is rising, supply chains are being rethought, and resilience has become a genuine priority for operators and governments alike. Against that backdrop, NAMAA sees a clear and enduring role for dedicated infrastructure not as a complement to the broader ecosystem, but as its foundation.

For NAMAA, the region is not just a deployment target. It is a long-term commitment that is built around empowering operators, supporting businesses of all sizes, and ultimately serving the communities these food systems exist to feed.
Hashtag: #NAMAA

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About NAMAA

NAMAA is a leader in driving the growth of digital food solutions, quick commerce, and the underlying real estate foundations. The founding members have been laying the groundwork in the region since 2019, guided by a philosophy centred on developing infrastructures that give consumers fast and dependable access to meals, groceries, and essentials. Part of the wider ATOMS Group, the company has since grown into a multi-sector network with operations spanning the Middle East. Among its portfolio is KitchenPark, a commercial kitchen network providing CloudKitchens® facilities and CPUs across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain, as well as bespoke culinary infrastructure builds and quick-commerce-ready facilities.

With participants from places including Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Australia, the United Kingdom, Austria, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, the event aimed to foster closer co-operation in emergency linkage, resource sharing, and professional training among different regions.

The symposium featured a series of plenary sessions, panel discussions, technical visits, and live demonstrations jointly conducted by the GFS and various government emergency units. A number of memoranda of understanding were signed during the event, to deepen collaboration between the GFS and the Chinese Mainland as well as domestic and international emergency, aviation, and medical institutions.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Under Secretary for Security, Michael Cheuk, said that the challenges of emergency response as a result of the realities of climate change are evolving at an unprecedented pace.

“A shift to proactive prevention, continuous enhancement of international and cross-regional collaboration, and enhanced experience and insight sharing among stakeholders are key to rising to new and complex challenges,” Mr Cheuk said, adding that the collaborative spirit of ISERAS will forge stronger partnerships, further strengthen emergency response capabilities, and secure a safer future for communities.

The Director General of the Rescue and Salvage Bureau of the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China (CRS), Wang Lei, also attended the symposium and delivered a keynote presentation on air rescue capabilities and strategic development in the South China Sea.

The symposium concluded with an interdepartmental counter-terrorism drill and exchange session, with the participation of the GFS, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, showcasing Hong Kong’s professional capabilities in responding to terrorist attacks.

The Controller of the GFS, Captain Eddie Liu, said that the GFS has always played an important role in emergency response and rescue. “In addition to assisting in search and rescue, providing air ambulance and other emergency aeromedical services, the GFS also shoulders the responsibility of maintaining internal security of the HKSAR,” he said.

“In emergencies such as terrorist attacks, the GFS would make rapid deployment to assist the disciplined services in conducting air assault, offering all-round support to the HKSAR Government’s overall counter-terrorism efforts.”

Since its establishment in 1993, the GFS has served at the forefront of round-the-clock search-and-rescue and emergency aeromedical operations, while the ISERAS aims to collectively build a truly transnational pool of professional expertise, thereby underscoring Hong Kong’s status as an aviation hub for emergency response in Asia.

Hashtag: #HongKong #BrandHongKong #GFS #Emergency #Response #Aeromedical #Symposium

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Hero performs full end-to-end report development, Application configuration, and token management, closing tickets at no marginal cost on top of the platform fee while customers keep their existing systems, controls, and access model.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 June 2026 – Dayos Pte. Ltd., the Singapore-based AI company, today announced the general availability of Athena, the latest release of Hero, its agentic platform for Oracle and Workday support. Hero is a direct replacement for traditional Application Managed Services (AMS) contracts – not a tool layered on top – and is available to enterprise customers immediately via Dayos’ Starter and Pro plans.

The release addresses four structural problems with the AMS model that enterprises running Oracle and Workday have lived with for two decades.

Time to deploy. Traditional AMS engagements take months to scope, onboard, and ramp to full coverage. Athena Starter deploys in two weeks – from contract execution to production agents running inside the customer’s Oracle or Workday tenant.

Quality of work. Hero’s agents reason through tickets in the customer’s actual tenant – exploring, planning, and validating before posting. Report development tickets, historically the worst offenders on enterprise SLA reports, complete 70% faster on Hero. Plain English in, validated SQL out, executed inside the tenant.

Long-term support drag. Hero reduces Oracle ticket backlogs by 50% in the first 30 days for Starter customers, with a sustained 60% reduction in the active ticket queue by the end of year one for Pro customers. SLAs across customer engagements run 50% faster. Every ticket Hero closes is a ticket the customer’s AMS provider does not bill for.

Proof. Dayos used Hero internally to retire its own ServiceNow ITSM environment in 45 days, with 60% of Tier 1 tickets now resolved autonomously. The deployment is documented as a reference case in Section 2.1 of the IMDA Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI, published by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority at ATxSG in May 2026, alongside case studies from AWS, DBS, Google, Workday, OCBC, Tencent, PwC, and GovTech.

“AMS providers bill per ticket or per hour. Hero closes tickets at no marginal cost on top of the platform fee. Every ticket Hero closes is one your AMS provider doesn’t bill for,” said Brad McElhannon, Founder and CEO of Dayos.

AVAILABLE NOW AND AHEAD

Athena Starter is available at USD 60,000 per year, delivering 50% Oracle ticket backlog reduction in 30 days, 70% faster report development, and 50% faster SLAs. Athena Pro is available at USD 150,000 per year, adding custom agent development and a contractually committed 60% sustained reduction in the active ticket queue by the end of year one. Plan details and outcome breakdowns by tier are at dayos.com/plans (https://www.dayos.com/plans).

The Athena Hero release ships with full support for Oracle and Workday. SAP availability is targeted for January 2027.

Hero is built on Google’s Agent Development Kit (ADK) with Gemini as the lead reasoning model, and operates under ISO 42001-aligned governance with SOC 2 Type II controls. Athena enters general availability, with active enterprise deployments across the Asia-Pacific region.

Hashtag: #AgenticAI #Oracle #Workday #SAP #EnterpriseAI #AMS

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About Dayos

Dayos is an AI-native platform company headquartered in Singapore. Its platform, Hero, automates the Oracle and Workday application-managed services work that enterprises have historically outsourced, including configuration, report development, reconciliations, transaction entry, monitoring, and incident resolution. Rather than replacing a customer’s systems, Hero works inside their existing Oracle and Workday environments and respects their established controls and role-based access model.

Dayos is ISO 42001 and SOC 2 Type 2 certified and was published as a reference deployment in the IMDA Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI. The company was founded by Brad McElhannon, who spent more than 20 years in enterprise Oracle implementation across 200+ clients and led Finance Engineering at Robinhood through its IPO. Learn more at www.dayos.com.

Luvina Software Singapore officially launches as a trusted technology partner for AI-powered transformation and enterprise modernisation across APAC

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 June 2026 – After more than two decades of delivering enterprise-grade software engineering and digital transformation solutions to multinational corporations and leading Japanese enterprises, Luvina Software Singapore today officially launches its operations in Singapore, marking a significant milestone in its global growth strategy and reinforcing the Republic’s role as a regional hub for advanced technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation.

Established as a strategic joint venture between Luvina Software Vietnam and Singapore-based consulting firm GleamCore, Luvina Software Singapore aims to serve as a trusted gateway for organisations seeking high-quality, scalable and cost-efficient digital transformation solutions across the Asia Pacific region and beyond. The official inauguration was commemorated in the presence of Mr Cao Xuan Thang, Commercial Counsellor and Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore, alongside other senior representatives from the Embassy of Vietnam in Singapore, including senior diplomatic and trade officials, as well as strategic partners, enterprise leaders and key stakeholders from Singapore’s technology ecosystem.

The Singapore office represents a strategic move to bridge a growing gap in the digital economy, where organisations are under mounting pressure to modernise legacy systems, adopt AI and scale technological capabilities amid rising costs and talent shortages.

As businesses worldwide accelerate digitalisation, Singapore has emerged as one of the world’s most trusted technology ecosystems and a strategic gateway between East and West, with strong global connectivity, a highly developed regulatory environment and growing leadership in AI and Smart Nation initiatives.

Luvina Software’s decision to establish a presence in Singapore comes amid growing demand for trusted technology partners capable of delivering measurable outcomes. While many businesses prioritise digital transformation, organisations continue to face barriers including high implementation costs, delivery quality consistency, fragmented technology ecosystems and shortages in specialised engineering talent.

Singapore’s investments into frontier technologies, including more than S$1 billion committed towards National AI Research & Development between 2025 and 2030, further reinforce the nation’s position as a trusted global AI hub and a launchpad for regional and international expansion.

Founded in 2004 in Hanoi, Vietnam, Luvina Software has grown into a globally trusted software engineering company with over 750 employees, 1,000+ projects delivered, and more than 110 enterprise clients worldwide across sectors including insurance, banking, healthcare, manufacturing and retail. Impressively, 95% of its clients have remained with the company for at least a decade, underscoring its longstanding reputation for consistency, quality and reliability.

Luvina Software also operates delivery centres in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, alongside international footprints in Japan, the United States and now Singapore, enabling seamless hybrid and offshore delivery models for clients across global markets.

Its long-standing experience serving discerning Japanese corporations has shaped a delivery philosophy rooted in precision, accountability and rigorous governance, supported by globally recognised certifications including ISO 27001 and CMMI Level 3 for both Services and Development.

At the heart of Luvina Software Singapore’s proposition is a unique operating model that combines Singapore-based strategic advisory and governance with Vietnam’s large-scale engineering capability, allowing enterprises to modernise systems and accelerate innovation without compromising quality or control.

The company’s core focus areas include:

• AI-Powered Transformation & Intelligent Solution Engineering
• Enterprise Systems Modernisation & Managed Business Platforms
• High-Performance Engineering Capacity Enablement

Through its AI-enabled Offshore Development Centre (ODC) model, Luvina integrates AI-assisted software engineering into software planning, coding, testing and deployment, helping organisations accelerate delivery timelines, reduce inefficiencies and improve operational scalability while maintaining strict governance and quality assurance.

Rather than merely acting as a software vendor, Luvina positions itself as a long-term transformation partner, offering end-to-end accountability from technology strategy and implementation to long-term support and optimisation.

As part of its Singapore growth strategy, Luvina Software Singapore intends to work closely with solution providers, system integrators, professional service firms, venture capital and private equity firms, as well as enterprises seeking to co-develop scalable digital products for regional and international markets.

The company has already secured momentum in the Singapore market, having acquired more than a dozen local projects, with plans to further expand its presence across Southeast Asia, Australia and Europe in subsequent phases of growth.

Among its growing portfolio of clients are Nomura Research Institute Ltd., Japan’s largest economic research, management consulting and IT systems integration firm; CRESCO Ltd., a prominent Japanese IT systems integrator and software development company; and CRESCO Vietnam Co. Ltd., the Vietnam subsidiary of the CRESCO Group providing offshore development and IT solutions for Japanese enterprises. The portfolio also included Soliton Systems K.K., a specialist in cybersecurity, identity management, and secure access technologies, reinforcing Luvina Software Singapore’s reputation as a trusted technology partner for enterprise transformation and high-performance software delivery.

Mr Le Quang Luong, Co-Founder and CEO of Luvina Software, said, “Singapore represents not only a new market for us but it’s also a strategic gateway for how we intend to co-create the future of enterprise technology across the region. As organisations face mounting pressure to modernise, adopt AI and scale with confidence, businesses do not simply need more technology vendors; they need trusted partners who can bridge strategy, execution and measurable outcomes.”

“Through Luvina Software Singapore, we bring together Singapore’s global connectivity and governance strengths, Vietnam’s engineering excellence, and Japan’s deeply rooted standards of quality and reliability to help organisations transform with greater speed, confidence and accountability. Ultimately, we are here to turn complex work into outcomes businesses can count on,” added Mr Ethan Lim, CEO of Luvina Software Singapore.

Looking ahead, Luvina Software Singapore intends to deepen its role in helping enterprises modernise legacy systems, accelerate AI adoption and co-develop scalable digital solutions that can be commercialised globally, reinforcing Singapore’s role as a strategic innovation hub for the region.

For more information, please visit: www.luvina.net

Hashtag: #LuvinaSoftware #LuvinaSoftwareSingapore #AI #Launch #DigitalInnovation #Software #Singapore #Vietnam

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Luvina Software Singapore

Luvina Software Singapore is the Singapore arm of Luvina Software, a Vietnam-founded enterprise software engineering and digital transformation company with more than 20 years of experience serving multinational corporations and leading Japanese enterprises. Established as a strategic gateway to the Asia Pacific market, Luvina Software Singapore provides AI-powered digital transformation, enterprise systems modernisation, cloud engineering, managed services and high-performance engineering capacity enablement.

Combining Singapore-based strategic advisory and governance with Vietnam’s engineering excellence, Luvina Software Singapore helps businesses accelerate innovation, modernise systems and scale with confidence.

The jump, flagged at an IBPC Dubai logistics session, reflects a wider disruption in maritime corridors linked to Middle East tensions, fuel-cost volatility, security-risk surcharges and capacity constraints. Paras Shahdadpuri, Governor of IBPC Dubai and Chairman of Nikai Group, said the disruption had tested businesses while reinforcing confidence in the UAE’s ability to respond effectively. “Freight rates have risen from $1,000 to $7,000, putting pressure on businesses, but the speed of response here has helped maintain confidence in uncertain times,” he said.

The impact is being felt most sharply by businesses with thin margins or long replenishment cycles. Consumer electronics, appliances, automotive parts, food products, textiles, building materials and pharmaceutical consignments are among the categories most exposed to higher freight, delayed vessel schedules and tighter booking windows. Importers face a difficult choice: absorb added costs, renegotiate supply contracts, delay shipments or pass part of the burden to consumers.

Dubai’s response has centred on route diversification, customs facilitation and closer coordination among ports, logistics operators, carriers and government agencies. The Green Corridor linking Dubai and Oman has become a critical pressure valve, allowing cargo arriving through Omani ports and airports to move overland through streamlined procedures. Customs declarations through the corridor rose from about 12,000 in March to nearly 100,000 in April, while the value of goods moved increased from Dh1 billion to more than Dh8 billion.

The corridor has helped sustain flows for containers destined for Jebel Ali, goods entering the local market and re-export cargo bound for other destinations. More than 100,000 TEUs have already moved through Green Corridor initiatives, underlining how quickly shippers have adapted to alternative supply routes. Food security shipments and refrigerated cargo movements have remained stable, a key benchmark for a market dependent on uninterrupted imports.

Freight inflation is not confined to the UAE lane. Global container benchmarks have moved higher as peak-season demand started earlier than usual and conflict risk reshaped vessel deployment. The World Container Index climbed to $3,549 per 40ft container in mid-June, while Asia-Europe and transpacific routes also recorded rate increases. Fuel costs, insurance premiums and route deviations have widened the gap between contracted and spot-market pricing.

The UAE’s logistics model has so far avoided the deeper breakdown seen during earlier global supply-chain shocks. Jebel Ali remains central to regional trade, while Fujairah, Khor Fakkan and Omani gateways have gained strategic importance as alternative access points. Cargo owners are mixing sea, land and air solutions to balance cost against reliability, making multimodal logistics a boardroom issue rather than a back-office procurement function.

The pressure comes at a sensitive time for India-UAE trade, which has expanded under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that entered into force in 2022. Bilateral trade reached $101.25 billion in FY2025-26, with the UAE ranking as India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export destination. Higher freight costs risk eroding some of the tariff and market-access gains achieved through the pact, particularly for mid-sized exporters and distributors operating on fixed price commitments.

Business groups say the crisis is accelerating changes that were already under way. Importers are adding supplier options in Southeast Asia and the GCC, splitting shipments across ports, increasing buffer stocks for critical items and using digital tracking tools to manage delays. Logistics providers are offering blended products that combine ocean freight, bonded trucking and air cargo, while retailers are reviewing inventory cycles before the next seasonal demand peak.

The strain is also prompting fresh attention to contract design. More companies are inserting freight-adjustment clauses, separating shipping costs from product pricing and seeking clearer force-majeure language for geopolitical disruption. For smaller traders, the biggest challenge is cash flow: a container that once required a modest upfront freight payment can now tie up several times more capital before goods even reach the warehouse.

Refreshed five-year Encompass roadmap highlights accelerated fleet decarbonisation and proactive talent integration as key competitive advantages

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 June 2026 – The Caravel Group, a diversified global conglomerate with core businesses in maritime services, commodity trading and investment management, today released its fifth annual Responsibility Report, Encompass. The report details the Group’s progress, key achievements and future targets in running a sustainable and resilient business, with a particular focus on its ship management subsidiary, Fleet Management Limited.

Guided by the four core pillars of the Encompass strategy—Navigating Responsibly, Evolving Environmental Stewardship, Safeguarding People and Working Together—the 2025 report demonstrates how the Group has successfully translated high-level ESG ambitions into measurable, accountable day-to-day operational practices across ship and shore.

Dr. Harry S. Banga, Founder & Executive Chairman of The Caravel Group, said: “Five years ago, we established Encompass as our guiding compass. This fifth annual report is a testament to how we have built a business trusted to perform responsibly, adapt with discipline and remain relevant in a volatile maritime industry. By formally embedding ESG metrics into performance reviews for all onshore employees and establishing strategic initiatives like our LNG bunkering joint venture, we have ensured that responsibility and performance are no longer separate conversations.”

Key Sustainable Milestones in 2025:

1. Evolving Environmental Stewardship & Accelerated Decarbonisation

• The Group achieved a 42% reduction in managed ship GHG emission intensity from its 2008 baseline, significantly exceeding its established 2030 target of a 30% reduction.
• Currently, 74% of the managed fleet is equipped with advanced Energy Saving Devices (ESDs), including high-performance hull paint, Propeller Boss Cap Fins (PBCFs) and variable speed motors, keeping the Group firmly on track to equip 100% of its fleet by 2030.
• The Caravel Group entered a strategic joint venture with Celsius Shipping to co-own and operate a new fleet of high-specification LNG bunkering vessels, supporting the maritime sector’s wider transition towards cleaner fuels.

2. Navigating Responsibly & Digital Innovation

• The Group continued the active pilot deployment of Captain’s Eye, an AI-powered maritime safety solution using onboard CCTV to detect smoke, leaks and safety hazards in real-time.
• Upgrades to PARIS (integrated fleet management platform) and NOVA (data analytics) provided vessel owners with real-time financial, EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime compliance reporting, bolstering transparency and proactive risk management.

3. Safeguarding People & Safety Excellence

• Port State Control (PSC) detentions across the fleet plummeted from 22 in 2023 to just 5 in 2025, driven by the Group’s increasingly rigorous safety protocols and strengthened reporting discipline.
• The Group recorded an exceptional 91% wellbeing score in its annual employee survey, surpassing its 78% target set for 2028 ahead of schedule.

4. Working Together, Talent & Community Engagement

• Following its landmark acquisition of the International Maritime Institute (IMI) in India, the Group integrated a highly reliable, Group-aligned talent channel, welcoming over 500 job-ready cadets to Fleet Management in 2025.
• The Caravel Group recorded a 92% employee engagement score and a 93% Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) score.
• In line with its pledge to commit at least 2% of average net profits over the previous three years to social causes, the Group contributed USD 1,529,993 to community partnerships, education initiatives and disaster relief programmes.

Mr. Angad Banga, Group Chief Executive Officer of The Caravel Group, added: “In today’s market, sustainability is no longer a future consideration—it is an active operating condition. Regulatory frameworks like FuelEU Maritime and EU ETS carry real economic consequences, and our clients look to us for the systems, judgment and commercial depth to navigate this landscape. By pairing digital tools with a robust talent pipeline through the IMI, we are building organisational capability before the moment it is needed, creating a lasting competitive advantage.”

To explore the detailed performance data, future targets, and the full version of the Encompass: Responsibility Report 2025, please visit The Caravel Group Website: https://www.caravel-group.com/our-impact/responsibility-reports

Hashtag: #FleetManagementLimited

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About The Caravel Group Limited

The Caravel Group, headquartered in Hong Kong, is a privately held and globally diversified group with operations across maritime services, dry bulk commodity trading, institutional investment management, and philanthropy. Its maritime division includes Fleet Management Limited, one of the world’s largest third‑party ship managers, with more than 500 vessels under management, and strategic investments, including a major stake in Pacific Basin (HKEX: 2343). Caravel also owns the International Maritime Institute (IMI) in India, reinforcing its commitment to maritime talent development. Through Caravel Asset Management, the Group invests globally across public markets and private equity, while its philanthropic arm, The Caravel Foundation, supports the education and well-being of underprivileged youth across Hong Kong, China, and India.

Learn more: www.caravel-group.com

About Fleet Management Limited

Fleet Management Limited, part of The Caravel Group, is one of the world’s largest third‑party ship managers, with more than 500 vessels under management. This scale bears testament to the resilience and commitment of thousands of seafarers and onshore maritime professionals serving shipowners worldwide.

Fleet manages a range of vessels, including bulk carriers, containers, car carriers, oil tankers, gas carriers and chemical tankers from 600 to 320,000 DWT in size – with many being young and energy-efficient with an age profile below the industry average. The company also has a dynamic newbuilding supervision department.

Learn more: www.fleetship.com