Singapore Claims a First With WiMax-ready Seaport

• Posted: Wednesday, September 26, 2007
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• Author: pradhana
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• Filed under: Broadband, WiMAX

Singapore will spend S$12 million to make its seaport WiMax ready and allow ships to access broadband communications and services offshore, it was announced at the opening of the 2nd International Maritime Port Technology and Development Conference (MTEC 2007) on Wednesday.

Known as the Infocomm@SeaPort programme, it will provide access to mobile wireless broadband, allowing real-time and data-intensive communications between the ships and their customers and business partners. Singapore expects its seaport to be the first WiMax-ready port when the service opens in 2008.

Raymond Lim, Minister of Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, said at the opening of MTEC that thanks to "WISEPORT" (WIreless-broadband-access for SEaPort), activities that could only be done onshore previously can now be achieved offshore as well, from regulatory filings, to broadband communications, to real-time access to navigational data. WISEPORT is one of the initial projects under the Infocomm@SeaPort programme, which aims to provide a mobile wireless broadband network within 15km from Singapore's southern coastline.

The Infocomm@SeaPort programme is a collaboration between the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) and the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA). The two agencies said the project aims to catalyse business transformation and operational excellence in the port community through the use of innovative infocomm technologies.

Later this year, MPA and IDA will jointly initiate a Call-for-collaboration (CFC) to develop new WISEPORT content and software applications for the seaport community. They said these content and applications could range from messaging services that allow ships to communicate more cost-effectively with other parties, to applications that allow ships to book maritime services through the high-speed network.

Chan Yeng Kit, IDA's CEO, noted that the Infocomm@SeaPort programme was an integral part of IDA's iN2015 masterplan to enhance the economic competitiveness of Singapore through the use of infocomm. [Broadband Communities]

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