NEWS

Singapore digest news (17.04-22.04)

Combating climate change a priority, preoccupation for both Singapore and Brazil: Vivian Balakrishnan

Combating climate change is a "priority" and "preoccupation" for both Singapore and Brazil, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Monday (Apr 17).

Speaking at a joint press conference with counterpart Mauro Vieira before wrapping up a three-day visit to Brazil on Tuesday, Dr Balakrishnan said that both countries agreed to strengthen climate cooperation, especially in the development of "fair, inclusive and well-functioning global carbon markets".

Source

Asia's Insurance Leaders To Gather At InsureTech Connect Asia In Singapore To Discuss The Future Of Insurance

The second annual InsureTech Connect Asia will take place in Singapore from May 30 to June 1, 2023, where insurance industry leaders, professionals, and InsurTech providers from across Asia and beyond will convene to share their successes, strategies, and plans for the future of insurance.

Source

Singapore tourist arrivals surpass one million in March, first time since 2020

Singapore’s international visitor arrivals surpassed one million in March, for the first time since the pandemic began in 2020, the latest figures from the Singapore Tourism Board showed on Thursday (Apr 20).

Tourism arrivals rose to 1,021,036 in March, up from 957,839 visitors recorded in the previous month. While March’s arrival numbers set a new post-pandemic record, it is still below the 1.7 million visitors recorded in January 2020, before the pandemic.

Source

Singapore’s first electric ferry ready to set sail next month, as maritime sector continues green push

Singapore's first electric ferry is ready to set sail next month. According to experts, by August this year, there will be three of fully-electric ferries in operation.

Source

Electric vehicle adoption: demand for green car loans up as some banks lure customers with perks

Potential car buyers looking to make a green choice may find just the right incentive to do so. Banks here are riding the green wave, as demand for electric vehicles (EV) heats up. Some are offering loans with lower interest rates and perks for EV buyers.

Among them is Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), which offers an eco-friendly car loan at about 2.4 per cent interest rate, lower than the 2.7 per cent for mainstream cars.

The bank also offers free charging credits and free home charging stations for landed property residents who buy certain EVs.OCBC said these Eco-Care car loans accounted for nearly one in 10 car loans last year.

Source