Ambiga Raju Channel NewsAsia 12 Oct 11;
SINGAPORE: Singapore is offering a US$1 million cash prize for a global challenge in a bid to find the best new design for the next generation of container ports.
Announcing this on Wednesday at a maritime forum at Fusionopolis, Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew said the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will be organising the "Next Generation Container Port Challenge" in April next year.
He said those in the industry would know that the basic design of a container port has remained largely unchanged for decades - a simple plot of land with stacks of containers surrounded by cranes to lift boxes on and off ships.
He added while there have been some improvements in port technologies, these have been mostly incremental changes.
On the demand side, Mr Lui said, things have changed much more dramatically with container ships carrying more loads per trip.
Safety, security and the need to put in place environmentally-sustainable practices are also putting more demands on port infrastructure.
He said these are presenting real challenges for land-scarce Singapore.
Mr Lui said Singapore wants to source ideas from the brightest and the best from all over the world through the "Next Generation Container Port Challenge".
"We want them not only to think out of the box, but around and even ahead of the box!" Mr Lui said.
The winning concept is expected to embody innovation, efficiency, productivity and sustainability.
More details will be announced closer to the launch of the challenge.
- CNA/wk
Jurong Port, MPA in $12m green port programme
Joyce Hooi Business Times 13 Oct 11;
JURONG Port and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) are coming up with a total of $12 million for a green port and productivity programme, which was launched yesterday.
Jurong Port and the MPA's Maritime Innovation and Technology (MINT) Fund will each contribute $6 million to the Green Port and Productivity Solutions research and development (R&D) programme, under a memorandum of understanding signed by Jurong Port's chief executive officer Matthew Chan and MPA's CEO Lam Yi Young.
'MPA's MINT Fund has supported many maritime R&D projects since it was launched in 2007. I am pleased to note that under the Green Port and Productivity Solutions R&D Programme, Jurong Port will be working with tertiary and research institutions to identify greener solutions to enhance their port operations,' said Mr Lam.
Over the next five years, the funds will be used to research and test-bed green technologies that will reduce Jurong Port's carbon footprint and improve the productivity for its existing and future terminals, it said.
'We've already completed a study on our carbon footprint,' said Jurong Port's Mr Chan. 'Now we will develop and implement major green projects with MPA's funding support.'
The port has identified four areas in need of attention - rising labour costs, limited waterfront space, high energy consumption and the need to be more environmentally friendly.
MPA and Jurong Port were two of the 12 parties present at the inaugural Maritime Singapore Green Pledge signing ceremony earlier this year, which was held in conjunction with the announcement of the $100 million Maritime Singapore Green Initiative.
