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Singapore Container Terminal to Host Living Lab

Tuas
Tuas Terminal design

Published Jun 27, 2016 7:37 PM by The Maritime Executive

PSA Corporation and the Port Authority of Singapore have set up a “living lab” at Singapore’s Pasir Panjang Terminal. With the support of Singapore’s Economic Development Board, the S$100 million ($73 million) project will run for three years and will enable start-ups and technology providers to test-bed systems at two operational berths.

PSA Singapore Terminals is one of the world’s busiest hubs for container movement, and PSA sees the project as a driver for innovation for its existing terminals and the future Tuas Terminal. Construction of Singapore’s Tuas Terminal development started in May, and when completed, the 20 deep-water berths in Phase 1 of Tuas Terminal development will be able to handle about 20 million TEUs per annum. The entire mega-terminal will have a total capacity of up to 65 million TEUs.

The government of Singapore will start to consolidate its container port facilities at Tuas from 2030. New technology will be introduced at the greenfield site to create a hypermodern, innovative and largely automated logistics hub. 

A major component of Singapore’s next generation port vision, Tuas Terminal will incorporate new features such as optimizing land use by utilizing both above and underground spaces for complementary purposes like storage facilities; enhancing the safety and security of the port waters via a next generation traffic management system; and increasing productivity and reducing labor costs through the use of technology like automated yard cranes and port equipment.

A key project for the living lab is an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) system which will ramp up operations to a fleet of 30 vehicles in 2017. Earlier this month, PSA bought 22 new driverless AGVs for the fleet which operate continuously transporting containers around the terminal. The AGVs are being delivered by Cargotec CHS, Gaussin Manugistique and Toyota Industries.

The living lab will also complement the recently-launched PSA unboXed Incubator program which seeks innovative solutions from start-ups to revolutionize container terminal operations, streamline global supply chain logistics and enhance the efficiency of international trade with better visibility and security.