3 minute read
Port
Tuas officially opened
PSA’s brand new flagship facility is up and running, a marker for other ports around the world
Dressed in a pink shirt prime minister Lee Hsien Loong headed out to the western edge of the republic on September 1 for the official opening of Tuas Port, the giant, multibillion dollar facility that has been a decade in the making and promises to set the bar very high for all future port developments around the world. Lee, who during his 18 years in charge of Singapore has shown a strong maritime interest, spent plenty of time being shown around the high tech facilities of PSA’s new flagship. The first three berths have been
operational for a number of months, with two more due to come onstream soon. This new site is a petri-dish for port innovation which will be viewed very closely by competitors in the years ahead.
The giant port has been built with long-term vision through to 2050 with an ultimate capacity of 65m teu, roughly twice last year’s throughput. Its development also sees a wholesale shift of boxes from downtown to newly reclaimed land in the west of the republic. The shift will free up prime waterfront land from Shenton Way to Pasir Panjang for the future Greater Southern Waterfront.
Lee said at the opening ceremony, Tuas “will reinforce Singapore’s status as an international maritime centre, and enable many related industries to flourish.”
Peter Voser, group chairman of PSA International, said, “This is a momentous occasion and we are thrilled to transform our vision into reality. Tuas Port is where we can help to realise the immense potential of Singapore as a trade hub for the world, and where our people’s passion for excellence meets higher purpose.” Tuas Port has 23 m of draft alongside, with a total berth length of 26 km. At present, 500 staff are working on site at Tuas Port, with the terminal being progressively developed in four phases. When fully operational in the 2040s, it is expected to be the world’s largest fully automated container terminal in a single location.
Tuas Port will encompass an extensive and well-connected supply chain and logistics ecosystem in the Tuas area – along Singapore’s western seaboard.
As the nucleus of Singapore’s maritime and logistics value chain, Tuas Port is poised to offer a comprehensive suite of value-added port services and innovative cargo solutions by leveraging technology and automation.
Tan Chong Meng, group CEO of PSA International, said, “By dovetailing our port operations with the greater ecosystem in Tuas and through collaborating with like-minded partners for integrated intermodal solutions,
we can better navigate the growing complexities of global supply chains.”
“Being closer to the port means faster and cheaper port services. This means more efficient production, and quicker turnaround for their products to be exported to international markets. Sectors such as advanced manufacturing, cold-chain, e-commerce, and logistics will benefit the most,” prime minister Lee added.
The country has also just announced that full maritime 5G coverage will be available at major anchorages, fairways, terminals, and boarding grounds by mid2025.
Jurong Port
SINGAPORE’S JURONG PORT, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JTC Corporation, appointed Terence Seow as its new chief executive officer from
September 1, succeeding Ooi Boon Hoe. The port handles bulk, breakbulk and containerised cargo.
It’s been a busy year for the ongoing transition of the port. It partnered up with subsidiaries of Japan’s multinational engineering firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and power generation major JERA to jointly explore establishing a 100% ammonia direct combustion power plant and encourage ammonia demand to be ready for ammonia bunkering in the The trio plan to build the 60 MW gas turbine combined cycle plant on Jurong Island, which houses the country’s chemical and energy industries.
The project aims to supply green electricity and also develop an ammonia bunkering terminal for ships as part of Singapore’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
Another interesting development was the decision to team up with advanced air mobility infrastructure developer and drone operator Skyports to explore the development of ship-to-shore infrastructure.
Skyports and Jurong Port have commenced joint studies to determine the feasibility and development of plans for cargo drone delivery operations and related infrastructure. The trials are being carried out simultaneously with ongoing port operations. At the same time, Skyports is leading in the engagements with relevant public sector organisations, regulators, and private entities to further the development of critical regulatory frameworks for the deployment of large-scale cargo drone delivery services.
