S'pore port prepares for Asian trade boom<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AFP): The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA)
\ncompleted the construction of two new berths yesterday as it
\nmoves to double its container-handling capacity to cope with a
\nrapid rise in Asian traffic.<\/p>\n
Container throughput in the region is expected to double by
\nthe year 2000 to reach some 120 million TEUs (twenty-foot-
\nequivalent units), Communications Minister Mah Bow Tan said in a
\nspeech on the occasion.<\/p>\n
The region's current share of the world container throughput
\nis about 48 percent and expected to increase to nearly 55 percent
\nby then, he said, adding that Southeast Asia alone was expected
\nto handle 20 percent of the increase.<\/p>\n
Countries in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand and
\nIndonesia, are developing and upgrading their ports to take
\nadvantage of the boom in port business and to handle additional
\ncontainer volumes.<\/p>\n
\"Like these other countries, Singapore is confident about the
\nprospects of the container business,\" Mah said.<\/p>\n
\"That is why we embarked on building the new container
\nterminal, which when completed will have the capacity to handle
\n36 million TEUs, more than twice the existing capacity of PSA,\"
\nthe minister said.<\/p>\n
The PSA is the world's second busiest port for container
\ntraffic after Hong Kong, serving as a transshipment hub between
\nSoutheast Asia and the rest of the world.<\/p>\n
The two berths completed yesterday are the first of 26 to be
\nbuilt in the initial phase of development of the new container
\nterminal.<\/p>\n
Mah said the new terminal would be equipped with the latest
\nfacilities, including a fleet of new-generation remote-controlled
\ncranes which can handle the largest ships in the world.<\/p>\n
\"Better technology in every aspect of the port operations at
\nthe new terminal will expedite operations with high accuracy and
\nreduced manpower requirements,\" Mah said.<\/p>\n
He said increased reliability, shorter servicing time and
\nfaster ship turnaround would lead to cost savings that would be
\npassed on to customers.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/spore-port-prepares-for-asian-trade-boom-1447893297",
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