Tuas Port Phase 2 Begins
The first caisson has been installed for Singapore's Tuas Port Phase 2. Another 226 caissons will be installed over the next eight years, and close to 400 hectares of land will be reclaimed in the building of the 8.6-kilometer (5.3-mile) wharf. When fully operational, Tuas Terminal Phase 2 will add a capacity of 21 million TEUs.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will develop Tuas Next-Generation Port in four phases, and all container operations in Singapore will be consolidated at Tuas by the 2040s. Tuas Terminal will open progressively from 2021, when the first two berths are expected to be completed. When fully operational by 2027, Phase 1 will see 21 deep-water berths that are able to handle about 20 million TEUs per year. When fully completed, Tuas' 21 container terminals will be able to handle up to 65 million TEUs annually.
The port will use a next generation vessel traffic management system that predicts congestion hotspots, assists vessels' crews to plan their routes to the berths and detects potential collision situations. It will implement the Maritime Single Window in two phases. Phase 1 will streamline submission process for faster port clearance. Phase 2 will have a Just in Time Planning and Coordination System to allow vessels to turn-around faster in the port and optimize the deployment of resources for port services.
It will also feature a Maritime Sense Making System which will optimize port operations and manage the growth of future shipping traffic by preventing illegal bunkering, detecting entry into prohibited areas and optimizing the utilization of anchorages. A Remotely Assisted Piloted Advisory solution incorporating internet-of-things sensors and communication systems will enable remote pilotage from shore-based stations. Shore-based marine pilots will use real-time video imagery and collision avoidance software to navigate ships safely.
Tuas Port will also be the first terminal in Singapore to be physically and digitally integrated with the wider supply chain network. CALISTATM, PSA’s supply chain platform developed by GeTS Asia, is an example of a digital solution that will be integrated into Tuas' systems architecture. The aim is to improve efficiencies among vessels, cargo owners and logistics service providers and better coordinate cargo flow in a secure and intelligent manner.
Singapore's Senior Minister of State, Dr. Lam Pin Min, said: “The proximity of Tuas Terminal to the industrial hinterland and the shipyards forms a more integrated supply chain ecosystem. This could reduce logistics cost, and create new opportunities for synergistic port-industry activities. The possibilities are immense.”
The MPA has announced that it will replace its current fleet of patrol vessels with seven next-generation patrol craft. The fleet – to be equipped with enhanced navigation, surveillance and response capabilities for search and rescue, man-overboard, oil spills and ferry incidents – will be introduced in phases over the next three years. The first six patrol craft are scheduled to be commissioned in February 2020, while a larger vessel will be launched by first quarter of 2021. In addition, MPA will add two new launches to its fleet.
MPA awarded the Tuas Terminal Phase 2 reclamation project to Penta-Ocean Construction/Hyundai Engineering & Construction/Boskalis International (PHB) Joint Venture in 2018. New construction methods will be used to boost safety and improve productivity. For example, a slip form jack monitoring system will be used to provide an unobstructed view of the hydraulic system. This enhances worker safety through prompt rectifications of the hydraulic system. Additionally, rebar modularization will be used to allow for the pre-fabrication of the steel bars that form part of the base slab. The conventional practice requires workers to handle the rebar manually, which exposes them to mechanical hazards when they operate the rebar cutting and bar bending machines.
The project team will explore using artificial intelligence to monitor the construction site. For example, using facial recognition tools to detect security breaches at entry and exit points, and video analytics to detect unsafe acts and prevent potential injury at the caisson fabrication yard.
Two months ago, Singapore celebrated the installation of the last caisson for Tuas Terminal Phase 1 reclamation.