PSA Singapore and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) have reaffirmed a 12-year partnership that supports research to improve the productivity and sustainability of port operations, by renewing the Memorandum of Understanding on the Port Technology, Research and Development Programme at the Singapore Maritime Week.
The agreement commits the PSA and MPA to contributing SGD12 million to support evolutionary research and development projects in automation, robotics, digital solutions and sustainability.
During Singapore Maritime Week, it was announced that the country wanted to create a drone port for the delivery of shipping supplies and will launch a call for proposals (CFP) later in the year.
Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport, Chee Hong Tat, explained that maritime drones would be used to increase the flexibility and efficiency of shore-to-ship deliveries and to conduct remote ship inspections.
“The CFP will act as a pathfinder for public agencies and private companies to develop a concept of operations for drones that is suited to Singapore’s operating environment as a busy hub port,” he said.
In 2020, F-Drones was the first company to receive authorisation to conduct beyond-visual-line-sight deliveries to ships in Singapore, from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, and Eastern Pacific Shipping was its first paying customer.
F-Drones then partnered with Marco Polo Marine to develop the world’s first large-scale delivery drone for offshore wind farms.
In 2022, the Port of Jurong partnered with Skyports to establish regulations and policies to facilitate drones being used as a part of ship-to-shore infrastructure.
