Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and partners sign MoU for 3D printing facility and applications in maritime sector
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) for Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, at the 6th Global AM Summit held on 17 and 18 October 2018 at the Changi Exposition Centre.
The two MoUs are:
a) An MoU with PSA Corporation Limited (PSA), the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) and 3D MetalForge Pte Ltd (3D MetalForge) to establish the world’s first on-site AM production facility for port applications; and
b) An MoU with NAMIC and the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) to collaborate on an AM Joint Industry Programme (JIP) for marine parts.
The AM rapid production facility will be strategically located at Pasir Panjang Terminal, where PSA is testing port technologies for current and future terminals. It will feature state-of-the-art printers capable of producing AM parts for port equipment. The facility will also use a specialised maritime digital cloud supported by Blockchain technology for more secure file transfers.
The facility’s location also leverages PSA’s parts supplier base and facility operations to support just-in-time inventory. This move towards digitised inventories reduces the need to hold excess inventory, which lowers storage costs, while shortening turnaround time from weeks to days due to improved availability of spare parts. In the long run, PSA will expand the scope of these services to the wider maritime industry, including ship owners, to help build its business adjacencies.
Mr 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. I am heartened that PSA, alongside MPA, NAMIC and 3D MetalForge can be pioneers in developing this technology for use in our industry. Co-creating new innovations including digitising inventories will create opportunities to raise maritime productivity to the next level.”
The JIP is focused on establishing the commercial viability, technical feasibility and regulatory compliance behind the use of AM for marine parts, and will bring together a comprehensive ecosystem of partners from across the value chain. This collaboration will strengthen Singapore’s role as a hub for ship supplies, and provide the maritime industry with clarity on the challenges, opportunities and potential test cases for deploying AM for marine parts.
