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Regional Focus

Singapore

Adoption of warehouse

automation
By Danny Lien, President, Singapore

Association of Ship Suppliers

I
intangible beneits such as positive n 2014 Forbes reported that out of Singapore is recognised as a leading

customer experience, and at the same the world’s top 20 container ports, logistics hub and is renowned for its
time allowing for employees’ upskill to only one is in the US while three areport infrastructures, eficient customs

focus on higher value work. Noticeably, in Europe. Noticeably, the rest are from and inancial hub. Today, the Port of
these systems greatly improve process the emerging markets with China and Singapore is connected to over 600

eficiency on a warehouse loor. The Asia dominating container shipping other ports worldwide in 123 countries
density of storage within a given space worldwide (1).via 200 shipping lines (4).

is increased through automation and The Port of Shanghai is currently To support these shipping activities,
movement of goods with automated the world’s busiest port and in 2013 there is an ever-growing demand

guided vehicles.handled 33.62 million TEUs of cargo (2). for warehousing services. SPRING
A study of WMSs in Singapore was Taking this into comparison, The PortSingapore is an agency under the

recently conducted by the School of Civil of Singapore is currently the world’s Ministry of Trade and Industry assisting
and Environmental Engineering College local enterprises to grow. According
second busiest port in terms of total
of Engineering at Nanyang Technological shipping tonnage and in 2013 handled to the Department of Statistics &

University, with the aim of providing 32.63 million TEUs of cargo (3).SPRING Singapore, there are about
constructive recommendations to help Thousands of ships drop anchor in 7,600 logistics companies with a total

maintain and enhance Singapore’s Singapore and it continues to attract value add of $18.4 billion in 2013. This
competitiveness as the world’s leading international enterprises to locatecontributes to a GDP of about 5.2% (5).

logistics hub.their manufacturing bases, strategic For any business to be sustainable,
This study examines the general use headquarters, supply chain control it is crucial to have a robust warehouse

of WMS in the warehousing sector and towers and regional distribution centres management system (WMS) that helps
the indings are as follows:to its shores.track all internal processes eficiently.

With the substantial representation Beyond cost savings, a WMS system
of small players, WMS implementation is will help improve customer service

considered small scale in the Singapore by ensuring deliveries are accurate

logistics industry. As the small players doand prompt. This translates to many

10 | The Ship Supplier | Issue 69 2016