Singapore is to set up the first 3D printing production facility on-site at port to produce equipment parts.
A Memorandum of Understand (MoU) was signed on Wednesday between PSA Corporation, the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), 3D MetalForge and the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) to establish the production facility at Pasir Panjang Terminal in Singapore.
The additive manufacturing (or 3D printing) production facility will feature printers capable of producing port equipment with an aim to reduce the number of spares that terminal operator PSA needs to hold and reducing the lead time from weeks to days for the availability of spare parts.
The facility will also use a specialised maritime digital cloud supported by Blockchain technology for more secure file transfers.
Ong Kim Pong, Regional CEO Southeast Asia of PSA International, said, “In close collaboration with EDB, we have learnt that the era of additive manufacturing is showing pervasive importance in industry transformation. Within our maritime sector, we foresee widespread adoption within the immediate horizon.”
The MPA also signed a MoU with NAMIC and the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) to establish a Joint industry Programme for the 3D printing of marine parts.
Andrew Tan, MPA Chief Executive, said, “As a leading maritime hub, Singapore firmly believes that the maritime industry should embrace new technologies such as additive manufacturing. The digitalisation of the maritime sector in all its aspects is not a matter of how but when.”
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