Phase 1 of Tuas Terminal Development Begins
Launch of first caisson by Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport marks major milestone in Singapore’s next generation container terminal development
The Tuas Terminal development – a testament to Singapore’s commitment to sustain its lead as a global maritime nation and to invest in port infrastructure – has entered Phase 1 of its construction. When completed, the 20 deep-water berths in Phase 1 of Tuas Terminal development will be able to handle about 20 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per annum. The entire mega-terminal will have a total capacity of up to 65 million TEUs.
2 A major component of Singapore’s Next Generation Port vision, Tuas Terminal will incorporate new features such as optimising land use by utilising both above and underground spaces for complementary purposes like storage facilities; enhancing the safety and security of the port waters via a next generation traffic management system; and increasing productivity and reducing labour costs through the use of technology like automated yard cranes and port equipment.
3 Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan marked the initiation ceremony today by launching the first caisson. In total, 222 such caissons will form the permanent wharf structure. With each caisson 28 metres tall and equivalent to the height of a 10-storey HDB block, the caissons designed for Tuas Terminal Phase 1 are one of the largest in the world.
4 The Tuas Terminal will be developed in four phases over the span of some 30 years, with the Phase 1 reclamation works scheduled to be completed by the early 2020s. In February 2015, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) appointed the DIAP-Daelim Joint Venture to carry out the land reclamation and related works for Tuas Terminal Phase 1 development. The works will include reclaiming 294 hectares of land, dredging the Tuas basin and Temasek Fairway, as well as constructing the wharf structure.
5 The scale and complexity of the project presents opportunities for the team of MPA, local and international engineers to challenge themselves and find innovative solutions to overcome resource constraints.
6 One such challenge is the construction of the wharf structure, which saw the engineering teams use an innovative caisson design with the caissons pre-fabricated on site. The use of caissons is a more efficient method of construction than other methods such as piling, and affords site personnel a safer work environment. In addition, as the caissons are of standard sizes and pre-fabricated in a factory-like environment on-site, productivity and quality of the wharf structure are also improved.
7 Likewise, the DIAP-Daelim Joint Venture will use cutting-edge equipment and techniques to maximise efficiency. It will mobilise, among others, the world’s largest grab dredger and one of the world’s most powerful cutter suction dredgers, along with a wide range of other dredging and reclamation equipment. In addition, the use of soil improvement techniques will allow the dredged materials from the deepening of basins and nearby fairway, as well as excavated earth obtained from other land construction projects, to be reused as reclamation fill materials for the project. Reusing such materials, which would otherwise be disposed of, reduces the quantity of sand fill required for reclamation, resulting in fill material cost savings of some S$1 billion.
8 “The Tuas Terminal is a centrepiece of Singapore’s Next Generation Port vision and demonstrates our strong commitment to strengthening and sustaining our leadership position as a global hub port and International Maritime Centre. Additionally, we hope that complex projects of this scale can inspire the next generation of engineers to join the profession and help shape our future,” said MPA Chief Executive, Mr Andrew Tan.
Source: Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore press release
Source: Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore press release