To increase the productivity of the Port of Singapore, The Ports and Navigation Authority launched the Digital Port Program, It uses artificial intelligence to regulate the arrival and departure of ships and facilitate their entry procedures to enhance the efficiency of the main economic artery represented by the port.
The pillars on which the economies of countries are based vary according to their geographical location and wealth. The economy of island States is usually dependent on maritime trade. As a small island State, Much of Singapore’s economy is based on its port, It is estimated that more than a thousand tons of goods pass through it every moment.
However, the conduct of operations of this magnitude faces some of the challenges associated with traditional systems of port regulatory transactions, Such as the long waiting times for ships and the carbon emissions they produce during their temporary stoppages. Furthermore, When ships arrive in Singapore, Its crews are required to fill out 16 forms containing the ship’s data and documents and submit them to 3 different government agencies, The latter participates in complex processes that hinder cooperation between them.
To address these challenges and enhance the efficiency of the port, The Ports and Navigation Authority of Singapore has launched trials on the Digital Port Program, Port authorities will use new technologies such as artificial intelligence to analyze data from ships, the port and various other agencies to ensure that ships arrive and leave on time.
Singapore has launched this innovative system through a comprehensive portal that allows ship crews to submit their legal documents as soon as they cross Singaporean territorial waters. Then look at a dashboard to track the status of the submission. The portal can now fill out the forms automatically with the required data. Then This information is shared with the Ports and Navigation Authority, The Immigration Authority, checkpoint administrations, the National Agency for the Environment and others, using data exchange tools provided by the government, These tools are available through a central platform that helps various institutions and government agencies to share data. It provides them with an index of these tools.
As for the second phase of the program, It is the conduct of port operations according to management supported by artificial intelligence, It is used by authorities to make recommendations on the most efficient allocation of docking spaces. Thus, After collecting data showing the available locations, their dimensions and the purpose of each ship’s voyage and cargo, The algorithm evaluates the data to make proposals. The first version of the smart program will focus on container ships, Its developers plan to launch future versions for the rest of the types of ships and tankers.
DEWA also launched a marine data center to study the habitats of marine organisms. building biodiversity registries, and mapping the ocean floor, and collect information about the coast of Singapore. Through it, The information is presented in the form of two- and three-dimensional images that can later be used in the planning of government sector marine and coastal projects. Navigators can also use this information while sailing. For now, TRA shares data with government entities only, However, it plans to extend participation to academia, research institutions and industrial companies.
For now The Authority is working towards the launch of the next generation of ports and the opening of the fully automated port of “Tawas” in 2040. The port will use electric and self-driving cars, Along with cameras and sensors to enable port staff to remotely monitor cranes directly.
Of course, The developer team faced the challenge of maintaining data security, therefore, Continuous evaluation of data sharing technologies and computer systems in the Ports and Navigation Authority by the Cybersecurity Agency and the State Technology Agency, FANR has also established a maritime cybersecurity center to investigate any potential threats of this kind through maritime information systems. The center will help early detection and response to threats.
By creating a comprehensive ship document portal, The authorities were able to greatly simplify clearance processes and achieve annual savings of more than one hundred thousand man-hours from the efforts of shipping company crews. Since this data is shared between government agencies through a platform that indexes tools, This also reduces the effort of government employees and enhances transparency by providing homogeneous data.
In addition to the Marine Science and Disaster Response Research Service, The information collected by the Maritime Data Center will have a great impact in guiding ships accurately and enhancing maritime safety, In the long run, It can help address future challenges such as climate change.
Scheduling the arrival and departure of ships shortens the waiting time and cost, increasing the port’s productivity. It also regulates the movement of ships so that you do not have to increase speed, This, in turn, lowers its carbon footprint.
In addition, The system facilitates the sharing of data between the port, ships and various providers of related services such as refueling teams, Through this participation, The service can be provided as soon as the ship docks at the port, This means a faster response.
As the authorities look forward to the completion of the program by the end of 2022, It may be a comprehensive market qualified to integrate with sea port service providers to enable seamless access to services.
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