NDR 2022: Tuas Port to be the largest fully automated port in the world when completed in about 20 years

Tuas Port will be the world’s biggest fully automated port when it is completely finished in around 20 years, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Aug 21).

Talking during the current year’s National Day Rally, the Prime Minister shared an update on the advancement at Tuas Port, 10 years after it was first announced.

Tuas Port

Stage 1 of Tuas Port has recently been finished, said Mr. Lee, with Phases 2, 3, and 4 to follow.

“When it’s fully completed around 20 years from now, Tuas Port will handle 65 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually, almost double today’s volumes,” he added.

“We will have the world’s largest fully automated port, and that should make us a leading global player in the maritime space.”

Reclamation works for Phase 1 of Tuas Port started in February 2015 and were finished in November 2021, said the Ministry of Transport (MOT) in a different media factsheet on Sunday.

Reclamation works for Phase 2 began in March 2018, and the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) has started planning Phase 3, said the ministry.

The shift to Tuas Port will progressively free up prime waterfront land from Shenton Way to Pasir Panjang for the future Greater Southern Waterfront said the Prime Minister during his discourse on Sunday.

“The move to Tuas has already started. If you drive past the Tanjong Pagar terminal on the AYE, you can see that it is no longer used for container operations,” he added.

“It’s almost empty, and that is why, during the pandemic, we could put up isolation and recovery facilities for COVID-19 patients in the container yard.”

At the point when Phase 1 of port operations at Tuas Port is completely operational in 2027, the port will have 21 deep-water berths that can handle 20 million TEUs yearly, said MOT in the factsheet.

The initial two berths began operations on schedule in December 2021, and three additional berths will be operational by December this year, the factsheet read.

Container port operator PSA hopes to move over its operations at Tanjong Pagar, Keppel, and Brani Terminals to Tuas Port by 2027, and operations at Pasir Panjang Terminal will be consolidated at Tuas Port by the 2040s, expressed MOT in the factsheet.

Ships from one side of the world to the other are calling at Tuas Port, said Mr. Lee in his discourse.

“Because we had planned ahead, our port was able to handle extra volumes during the pandemic, while ports in other countries experienced closures, severe congestion and long delays. But PSA, our port remained open 24/7 throughout,” he added.

“And we reinforced Singapore’s position as the ‘catch-up port’ because this is where vessels can make up time for delays elsewhere.”

Singapore took care of a record high of 37.5 million TEUs in 2021 and kept its position as the world’s most active transhipment hub, he noted.

In moving to Tuas, port operations have been modernized and updated, said Mr. Lee.

The new port is automated and digitalized and utilizes artificial intelligence to coordinate operations more seamlessly, similar to vessel traffic management and port clearance. Rather than trucks with drivers, the new port deploys a fleet of driverless automated guided vehicles, said Mr Lee.

Top 10 Best Airlines in the World in 2022

PSA will deploy a private 5G network to support 5G-enabled automated guided vehicles and automated cranes at Tuas Port and the ongoing Pasir Panjang Terminal said MOT in the factsheet.

PSA is additionally investigating the future utilization of 5G in cargo handling with operations, the factsheet read. The container port operator aims for Tuas Port to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, said the Transport Ministry.

“This smooth transition owes much to our port workers, unions, PSA and MPA. Management and unions worked hand-in-glove to retrain workers and help them adapt to new working environments,” said the Prime Minister.

“And on their part, workers picked up new skills, upgraded themselves and became more productive.”

Tuas Port will be completely automated and digitalized, utilizing automated guided vehicles and artificial intelligence to coordinate operations, manage vessels, and clear ports.

It ought to likewise accomplish net zero emissions by 2050, MOT has said.

By electrifying vehicles, carbon emissions can be cut by about half.

The Tuas Maintenance Base Administrative Building has additionally been certified as super low-energy, utilizing 58% less energy than similar-sized buildings and generating enough solar energy to offset its electricity consumption.

Land reclamation works for Tuas Port Phase 2 are in progress and planning for Tuas Port Phase 3 has started. There are four phases, on the whole, costing a sum of $20 billion.