Karamjit KaurSenior Correspondent

Works are in full swing at the future Tuas port, with reclamation ongoing for two out of four phases of the development and more than 3km of caisson already installed to form the wharf.

The caisson, which sits on a foundation on the seabed, is a 28m-high concrete watertight structure – about the height of a 10-storey Housing Board block. Us-ing caissons to build the wharf struc-

ture is faster than traditional meth-ods like piling.

In all, 8.6km of caisson will have to be constructed under Phase 1 of the Tuas port project, which aims to grow the Singapore port, amid com-petition from other regional and global ports.

The new Tuas port – which will be twice the size of Ang Mo Kio town – will be opened progress-ively from 2021. When fully com-pleted by 2040, it will be able to handle up to 65 million twenty-foot equivalent units of cargo a year, more than double what the port handled last year.

Work on the port, which will eventually house current operations at Pasir Panjang, Tanjong Pagar, Keppel and Brani container termin-

als, is proceeding as planned despite the current industry downturn.

Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) chief executive Andrew Tan told The Straits Times: “As a small and open country, any significant changes in the global economy would affect Singapore.”

Still, Singapore has maintained its position as a global port hub and an international maritime centre, despite the current slowdown.

He said: “PSA’s volumes are hold-ing steady, vessel arrival tonnage has increased, more ships are being flagged under our registry and bunker volumes remain high.”

Reflecting the current industry challenges, the Singapore Maritime Week 2017 officially opened yester-day with the theme Navigating

Through Challenging Times.More than 20,000 maritime pro-

fessionals, including high-level del-egates from port authorities, in-dustry leaders and maritime ex-perts, are expected to attend the programmes throughout this week.

As part of the event, members of the public can take a virtual tour of the Port Operations Control Centre which helps to secure Singapore’s waters, and also watch a drone that can analyse the chemical composi-tion of hazardous smoke.

At the opening yesterday, Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo said it is critical for the industry to band together to face challenges. For example, to meet the sector’s long-term de-mand for talent, the Singapore Mari-time Foundation is working with government agencies and private companies to offer incentives such as scholarships.

And as part of the move to Tuas, MPA is studying new technologies and automation, including the use of robotics and drones that will not only make port operations more ef-fective and efficient, but also more attractive for those considering joining the industry.

karam@sph.com.sg

Project proceeding as planned despite industry downturn

FUTURE PORTThe Tuas mega port, slated to open in phases from 2021, will incorporate smart and green technologies into its operations. Some of these will be tested at the MPA Living Lab.The Straits Times looks at the journey of a container through the port of the future.

Floating platforms• Currently, if a berth is not available, the vessel waits atanchorage in the sea.• The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is now exploring the use of multi-purpose �oating platforms so that while waiting, immigration checks, refuelling and top-up of supplies can be done. More ships moored to the platforms will free up space at sea.

Drones• Drones can be used to ful�l theshore-ship deliveries.• They can also be sent in to inspect vessels for damage, among other checks.

Single sharing portal• Currently, the captain has to submit documents to MPA, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and National Environment Agency separately – MPA for vessel clearance, ICA for crew/passenger clearance and NEA for health clearance.

• In future, this will be done through a single government portal.

Just-In-Time Arrival System• When the vessel enters the Singapore Strait, the captain now reports verbally by VHF radio to MPA and radios PSA Marine to arrange for a marine pilot who will guide the vessel through Singapore waters.

• In future, the Just-In-Time Arrival system will take over the coordination. This will cut delays and waiting times of calling vessels and optimise port services and resource deployment.

Vesselarriving…

Tracking arriving vessels• Today, a captain of a vessel entering the Singapore port has to alert MPA ofits arrival at least 24 hours ahead by e-mail, fax or telex (not standardisedand digitised).

• In future, the information will be conveyed digitally.

• A new Vessel Traf�c Management System will use cloud computing, data analytics, smart algorithms, sensors and advanced communication systems to manage and track the vessels. Voice communication will be minimal.

Delivery

Inspection

TEXT: KARAMJIT KAUR PHOTO: GOOGLE STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS: CHNG CHOON HIONG, LIM YONG

Tuas Terminal

• Trans-shipment port that is many times larger than the ones in Europe.• More complex to automate a trans-shipment container terminal of this scale than a destination port.

2,300 out of 2,800 coral coloniesaround Sultan Shoal lighthouse – in the vicinity of the proposed reclamation works – have been relocated to the Southern Islands successfully.

$6 millionCost of the coralrelocation project

TUAS TERMINAL FACTS AND FIGURES

Phase Area(ha)

1

2

3

4

414

405

260

260

Start ofoperations

Cargo handlingcapacity(TEUs, million)*

Early 2020s

Late 2020s

Early 2030s

Mid-2030s

20

21

11

13

NOTE: *Twenty-foot equivalent units. Refers to a common international standardised 20-foot-long (6.1m) container type.

COMPARISON OF AUTOMATEDTERMINAL OPERATIONS

2021

First set of berths ready by

two Ang Mo Kio New Towns

The port will occupy 1,339ha of land – about the size of

1,085ha

Amount of land to be reclaimed

Phase 1Phase 4

Phase 2

Phase 3

Pasir PanjangTerminal,456haJurong

IslandTanjongPagarTerminal,80ha

KeppelTerminal,105ha

BraniTerminal,84haTUAS TERMINAL

$1 billionApproximate cost savings in reclamation �ll material by re-using dredged and excavated materials from land construction projects such as rail infrastructure projects, for reclamation of Tuas Phase 1.

Rotterdam,Netherlands

(Current)

Hamburg,Germany(Current)

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 4

Phase 3 Destination ports

TuasTerminal(Future)

Capacity (million TEUs):

65 10 3

Feasibility studies are being done on the construction of an elevated area 42m above ground – overlooking port operations – to house warehousing, distribution and logistics operations,as well as possibly

cafes, retail storesand other amenities.

Automated technology• Quay cranes, yard cranes and guided vehicles will be automated.• Automated loading/unloading operations.• Computers, sensors and cameras ensure the safe and precise handling of containers.• 50% of wharf operation supervisors and up to 80% of yard crane operators and prime mover drivers will be retrained for higher-skilled roles.

Green technology• The cranes and automated guided vehicles will be fully electric. • Solar energy will be harvested and waste heat recovered from building cooling systems.

STEADY PERFORMANCE

PSA’s volumes are holding steady, vessel arrival tonnage has increased, more ships are being flagged under our registry and bunker volumes remain high.

’’MR ANDREW TAN, chief executive of MPA, on Singapore maintaining its position as a global port hub despite the slowdown.

Full steam ahead fornew Tuas mega port

A6 TOPOFTHENEWS | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2017 |