Singapore taps technology to enhance maritime safety
Simin Ngai, principal journalist Singapore | 20 June 2018
Singapore looks to technology to enhance maritime safety. Credit: Arianne Perez
Singapore uses technology to enhance maritime safety. Credit: Arianne Perez
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is investing in advanced ship-to-shore communication capabilities to support digital data exchange, among other technology-driven initiatives to enhance safety within the local maritime industry.
The initiatives were announced by Lam Pin Min, senior minister of State for Transport and Health, at the opening of MPA’s International Safety@Sea conference.
MPA will invest SGD500,000 (USD368,000) to develop a Very High Frequency Data Exchange System (VDES) over the next three years. The system is capable of real-time, high-bandwidth ship-to-shore communications. This will allow MPA to collect a wider range of navigational information from vessels calling at Singapore.
By combining the data collected with predictive analytics, MPA can predict traffic hot spots and areas with higher collision risk. Such information will be useful for vessels in port or coming into port.
A pilot trial will be conducted for the VDES later this year at MPA’s Living Lab, as part of the Next-Generation Vessel Traffic Management System project.
The MPA Living Lab is a technology partnership platform that allows technology providers and industry partners to plug into real operating conditions in the port of Singapore to co-develop and pilot innovations.
Meanwhile, MPA will also continue to invest heavily in state-of-the-art vessel management systems. This includes regular enhancements to the Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS).
One such initiative is to improve the resolution of VTIS radar video plots, thus allowing Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) officers to track and monitor vessels more accurately. This will enhance their situational awareness for safer navigation in Singapore’s congested and busy waters.
At the same time, MPA is working with software giant, IBM to apply automated detection and sense-making analytics to maritime safety. By creating virtual geofences of shallow sea areas in the port, vessels near these areas and at risk of grounding will automatically be flagged to VTS officers, who can then quickly contact the vessel to guide it to safety.
As technology plays a prominent role in the maritime industry, training is essential and the Singapore Maritime Institute and Singapore Polytechnic have launched a Centre of Excellence in Maritime Safety.
Singapore Maritime Institute Fund has allocated SGD10 million to the centre, to train seafarers on the use of new technologies under development. The training programmes will use augmented reality and virtual reality, and will focus on new modelling and simulation tools that enhance navigational safety. These will also be in tandem with the development of maritime autonomous surface ships.
MPA is also looking beyond the maritime industry for technologies to improve and reinvent safety solutions. One such example is the collaboration between technology firm 3M, MPA, PSA, and Jurong Port, to study the applications of material science to address safety-related environmental challenges in Singapore’s port and waters.
All MPA’s efforts will need to be supported by a sound regulatory framework, and it is proactively studying the safety, security, and environmental aspects of new technologies to develop a business-friendly regulatory environment.
For instance, MPA will establish a steering committee in the coming months to develop policies and regulations to prepare for the introduction of maritime autonomous surface ships in Singapore. The committee will include industry stakeholders, technology developers, research institutes, and relevant government agencies.
“Over the years, we have gained considerable experience from our efforts to enhance safety at sea in Singapore,” Lam said in his opening speech.
“To pay it forward, our vision is for Singapore to facilitate the research into maritime safety solutions and innovations, and to be a standard bearer pushing frontiers to enhance safety at sea.”