Construction work for the second phase of the Tuas mega port started on Thursday (4 July), with the installation of a caisson – a watertight structure that will form part of the wharf, reported CNA. Spanning 387 hectares, the second phase is the biggest of the four areas to be reclaimed.
Once operational, it could handle 21 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo yearly.
The completed Tuas mega port, on the other hand, will have a capacity of up to 65 million TEUs per year.
A total of 227 caissons will be transported offshore and installed at the site to form part of the 8.6km wharf structure.
With the expected rise in vessel arrivals, Senior Minister of State for Transport, Dr Lam Pin Min said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is also improving its capabilities in ensuring navigational safety.
“MPA will be enhancing its seaward capabilities by phasing in a fleet of next-generation patrol craft from February 2020 over the next three years,” he said.
“All seven new patrol crafts will be equipped with enhanced navigation, surveillance and response capabilities for search and rescue, man-overboard, oil spills and ferry incidents.”
The first six will be commissioned in February 2020, while a bigger craft is set to be launched in the first quarter of 2021.
The mega port will be developed in four phases over a period of 30 years, with the second phase of reclamation work expected to be completed by 2027.
The Tuas Terminal will be the first terminal within the city-state to be digitally and physically integrated with the wider supply chain network.
“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,” said Lam.
Fiona Ho, Digital Content Manager at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories, email fiona@propertyguru.com.sg
