ST Engineering has opened a “smart” shipyard to replace its Tuas Yard when the latter’s lease expires at the end of the year.
Gul Yard, at 55 Gul Road, is twice the size of Tuas Yard and employs technology to support yard operations, workplace safety and eco-friendly practices.
Spanning a site area of 141,000 square metres (sq m) and a gross floor area of 74,593.2 sq m, its greater capacity lets it handle larger and more complex projects with greater efficiency, said ST Engineering.
The company added that the greater yard size will shorten turnaround times to better support local naval requirements, and enable it to explore new market segments.
These include offshore renewables projects, offshore support vessels for the oil and gas industry, as well as support services for local and international customers.
The Gul Yard was acquired for S$95 million in February 2023 to support ST Engineering’s marine business and maintain the competitiveness of its ship repair segment.
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It was unveiled at a ceremony officiated by Desmond Tan, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, on Thursday (Sep 19).
Tan Leong Peng, ST Engineering’s president of marine, said: “Since the acquisition of the yard, we had plans to invest about S$60 million to develop new infrastructure and acquire new capabilities.”
Alongside its expanded capacity, the new yard will be integrated with ST Engineering’s Benoi Yard to create a “seamless, unified network” that optimises project coordination, resource allocation and capacity management, said the company.
As a “next-generation smart yard”, the Gul Yard is equipped with 5G infrastructure that delivers fast and pervasive connectivity to support advanced automation, real-time data analytics and operational efficiency, it added.
It will deploy artificial intelligence-powered technologies, including a proprietary integrated yard management system that oversees yard operations and streamlines workflow – from planning and resource allocation to tracking project milestones and predicting potential bottlenecks.
Predictive maintenance algorithms that detect early signs of equipment failure to prevent unplanned downtime, and a condition-based monitoring system that monitors equipment and ships in real time are also among the technologies the yard will use.
To improve workplace safety, ST Engineering’s safety and video analytics solution Agil Vision will be deployed with security robots to identify potential hazards in real time and provide automated safety alerts.
Drones will also inspect hazardous, hard-to-reach areas, while Internet of Things-enabled devices such as smart watches and helmets provide real-time updates on work progress and workers’ safety.
Tan said: “There are also plans to have similar digital advancements at our Benoi Yard. With both yards at the cutting edge of technology, we can then leverage their combined strengths to unlock new opportunities locally and globally, contributing to Singapore’s continued growth as a global leader in the maritime industry.”
The new yard also aims to significantly cut carbon emissions by 2034, by adopting renewable energy sources such as ammonia, hydrogen, biofuel and solar power.
In line with these efforts, it will reduce fossil fuel reliance by deploying electric-powered automated guided vehicles and buggies, as well as minimise waste through recycling and scrap sorting.
