Some 13,000 ships and harbour craft that call at Singapore’s port annually will soon be able to submit documentation, request bunkering and other maritime services, and access other electronic services through WISEPORT, a wireless broadband network in Singapore waters.

WISEPORT will enable other port users to request bunkering and ship chandling services more efficiently and at lower cost.

“WISEPORT will benefit ships, harbour craft, and other port users,” said Mr Raymond Lim, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs in Singapore at the opening of the 2nd International Maritime and Port Technology and Development Conference (MTEC) in September. “They will be able to request bunkering and ship chandling services and access other electronic services more efficiently and at lower cost. It will also enable the development of new services, such as the updating of shipboard software and electronic navigational charts using wireless communications.”

Thanks to WISEPORT (Wireless-broadband-access for SEaPORT), activities that could only be done onshore previously can now be achieved offshore as well, from regulatory filings, to broadband communications, to real-time access to navigational data.

The first such project in the world, WISEPORT covers Singapore’s port waters up to a range of 15km from the shoreline and is the pilot project under the Infocomm@SeaPort programme. The Infocomm@SeaPort programme is a collaboration between the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA).

The two agencies have jointly set aside S$12 million for the programme, which aims to catalyse business transformation and operational excellence in the port community through the use of innovative infocomm technologies. Other projects being explored include conducting trials in the use of infocomm to enhance and optimise car transhipment planning and operations and automating some of the current labour-intensive processes in the bunker supply chain.

Brigadier-General Tay Lim Heng, Chief Executive Officer of the MPA said, “As a leading global seaport, the use of technology is important. The Infocomm@SeaPort programme will extend our current efforts to develop and promote the use of industry-wide infocomm technology systems. We hope that the maritime community will capitalise on this advanced port infocomm infrastructure to improve their operations further and also to generate new business areas in Singapore. The MPA will continue to put in place advanced technology to ensure that Singapore remains an attractive port of call in terms of operational efficiency and high service quality.”