Technology

INSIGHT & EXCLUSIVE: NUS creates ‘digital twin’ of Singapore’s next gen port

The team behind NUS’ Centre of Excellence for Modelling and Simulation of Next Generation Port speaks with Manifold Times on designing Singapore’s Tuas mega port.

Published

8 years ago

June 29, 2018

Admin

Today (Friday) marks the signing of an agreement between the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) to establish the Centre of Excellence in Modelling and Simulation for Next Generation Port (C4NGP), a new SGD $18 million ($13.21 million) research centre located at NUS for enhancing the global competitiveness of Singapore’s maritime and port industries.

Tucked within C4NGP is research done by a team led by Associate Professor Chew Ek Peng and Associate Professor Lee Loo Hay from the NUS Department of Industrial Systems Engineering & Management to create the O2DES.NET (open-orientated discrete event simulation) platform, also simply known as the ‘digital twin’, for various maritime systems including the future 65 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) capacity Tuas mega port.

The Tuas mega port is a major milestone in Singapore’s next generation container terminal project that is scheduled to open progressively from 2021 for completion in 2040; it combines all city terminals at Tanjong Pagar, Pasir Panjang, Keppel and Brani into a mega maritime complex.

The ‘digital twin’ project is able to transport the physical realm of the Tuas mega port into the digital world; it combines the artificial intelligence and simulation aspect of port operations components (e.g. automated guided vehicles (AGVs), port cranes, container movement, maritime traffic, etc) to create a virtual sandbox environment for running simulation models.

Professor Lee believes these simulations will offer PSA International, Jurong Port and other stakeholder companies of the Tuas mega port project a glimpse to forecast the efficiency of operational events even before construction.

“Imagine a crystal ball which allows you to see events unfolding,” he says while adding “it is like a scientific tool which commercial users can consult to make an educated guess before committing huge money.”

“Singapore’s Tuas mega port is going to be the biggest in the world and nothing of this scale has ever been done before. The challenge is not only building it, but also making sure the design of the whole port itself promotes effective operations.

“The volume of 65 million TEUs is going to introduce huge traffic in the terminal that will be complicated to handle; if you do not control the operational decisions and handling sequences wisely the capacity of the port will fall far below the projected capacity.

“Singapore, being a transhipment port, also means an incoming containership will likely contain boxes which has to be further processed and transhipped over 200 destinations, and with each finger at the Tuas port being a few kilometres long all AGVs will need to operate and transport their containers like clockwork to meet transfers on time.

“The massive amount of automation by AGVs means much work has to be done to fine tune the system’s artificial intelligence; a smart algorithm also needs to be developed to control how many AGVs simultaneously operates as we will see congestion with too many and a backlog if too few units operating.

“The simulations provided by our ‘digital twin’ project of the Tuas mega port will be able to help stakeholders make decisions on the mentioned and more.”

Other uses for the ‘digital twin’ simulation platform include the analysis of navigational channel capacity studies for developing systems to simulate and optimise incoming and outgoing marine traffic; the examination of land transport-related systems such as port gateway design systems and analysis of inter-terminal traffic movement between port terminals; automated guided vehicle optimisation, scheduling and charging strategies; container yard storage management strategies; and analysis of future port systems.

“There is none other like this in the world; the rest are simply simulation models, whereas NUS’ ‘digital twin’ model integrates advanced analytics and optimisations for arriving at conclusions to help stakeholders make commercial decisions,” highlights Professor Lee.

“Ours even allow adjustment of five hierarchical levels of detail, depending on user requirement, taking into account all the way down to the equipment component level.

“It is essentially a virtual sandbox image of the physical operations.

“In the long run, what we aim is to fully integrate the physical and digital aspects of the port operations at Tuas mega port by getting real time data from the physical world for feedback to the digital world so that both systems have mutual learning capabilities.”

C4NGP is part of the Sea Transport Industry Transformation Map (ITM) developed by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) in partnership with the industry, unions and other government agencies to grow the sector’s value-add by SGD $4.5 billion and create more than 5,000 jobs by 2025.

As part of efforts to enhance productivity and innovation, Singapore is investing in new port capabilities that capitalise on emerging technologies to allow Tuas mega port to harnesses data analytics to optimise operations such as just-in-time vessel arrivals and the Maritime Single Window for quicker port clearance.

The AGVs have been introduced under a MPA-PSA Port Technology Research and Development Programme (PTRDP) to jointly step up R&D and capability developments in the areas of digitalisation, connected community systems as well as automation and robotics.

A fleet of 30 AGVs have been deployed in a trial with automated yard cranes and quay cranes in the Pasir Panjang Terminal. Deployment of such automated systems are expected to be scaled up in the Tuas mega port.

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 29 June, 2018

Alternative Fuels

Auramarine: Marine fuel flexibility will be key to shipping’s energy transition

Operators who adapt best will be the ones who built in the flexibility to their marine fuel strategy to respond as conditions change, says CEO John Bergman.

Published

22 hours ago

September 7, 2026

Admin

Finland-based fuel supply systems provider Auramarine on Wednesday (2 September) said it believes shipping’s energy transition is entering a phase where flexibility, not fuel choice, will determine which operators adapt successfully.

With fuel price volatility, inconsistent alternative availability and tightening environmental regulation at different speeds across regions, Auramarine argued that the right approach to fuel supply infrastructure is now as strategically important as the fuel itself.

“The industry has spent years asking which fuel will win,” said John Bergman, CEO, Auramarine.

“That may be the wrong question. No operator today can predict with confidence what will be available, compliant or commercially viable in five years. The operators who adapt best will be the ones who built in the flexibility to their fuel strategy to respond as conditions change.”

Auramarine’s own fuel split technology, first delivered in 2019 and now installed on around 20 vessels, reflects this thinking in practice. The retrofit system adds a fuel booster module onboard, allowing a ship to run different fuels through the same engine without the extended changeover procedures dual-fuel systems typically require.

This lets operators switch to MGO or biofuel, for example, to meet an ECA requirement, support maintenance schedules, or respond to fuel pricing shifts, without taking a vessel out of service. Delivered in sections through existing doors and hatches, it can be retrofitted to vessels already in operation.

Bergman sees this need for adaptability sharpening in sectors under the most operational and regulatory pressure.

“Cruise and ferry operators feel this earliest and most acutely,” he said.

“These vessels constantly move between regulatory zones and environmentally sensitive waters, so the ability to switch fuel supply without disrupting a schedule is an operational necessity. What’s notable is how many operators in this space still don’t know infrastructure like this exists, despite how directly it addresses what they’re already dealing with.”

Reliable flexibility requires a tailored approach, not just adding equipment. “The best results come from scoping flexibility to an owner’s actual fuel strategy, not adding complexity for its own sake,” Bergman added.

Automated fuel changeover systems are designed to keep multi-fuel operations straightforward for crews, while a structured maintenance approach ensures inspection, testing and servicing can be carried out safely throughout the vessel’s lifecycle. This is where Auramarine’s lifecycle services play a central role, supporting operators well beyond initial installation with the ongoing servicing, spares and technical support needed to keep flexible fuel systems performing reliably for the long term, whatever the fuel landscape looks like in years to come.

“Over the next few years, operators who succeed will be the ones who stopped waiting for certainty and started building optionality instead,” Bergman added

“In a transition this uncertain, adaptability matters more than any single fuel bet. That’s the conversation we want the industry to have.”

Photo credit: Auramarine
Published: 7 September, 2026

Mass Flowmeter

TFG Marine advances global MFM rollout with two US Gulf bunker barges

“Buffalo B414” and “Buffalo B304”, were recently fitted with the equipment, with both supply barges receiving ISO 22192 certification for their newly installed MFMs last month.

Published

4 days ago

September 4, 2026

Admin

TFG Marine advances global MFM rollout with two US Gulf bunker barges

Global marine fuel supply and procurement firm TFG Marine on Wednesday (2 September) said it continued to expand mass flow meter (MFM) technology across its US Gulf Coast bunker fleet.

The company said two more vessels, Buffalo B414 and Buffalo B304, were recently fitted with the equipment.

“Both supply barges received ISO 22192 certification for their newly installed MFMs last month, giving customers greater confidence in bunker quantity measurement while supporting a more accurate, transparent and efficient delivery process,” TFG Marine said in a social media post.

“This marks the latest step in TFG Marine’s ongoing investment in technology and best practice across its global bunkering operations, and forms part of a broader push by our North America team to help drive progress across the region’s bunkering industry.”

Last year, TFG Marine announced it reached a key milestone in its global digitalisation programme with the installation of an ISO 22192-compliant MFM on the Buffalo 404, a barge on time charter from American bunker barge company Buffalo Marine Service Inc.

This was the first ISO-certified MFM-equipped bunkering barge operating in the US Gulf.

The installation was part of TFG Marine’s wider strategy to equip close to 90% of its global bunkering fleet with MFMs by 2026 as a commitment towards improving data integrity, streamlining operations and strengthening trust in marine fuel transactions.

Photo credit: TFG Marine
Published: 4 September, 2026

FuelEU

Ahti Climate and DNV connect verified emissions data to FuelEU pooling platform

New integration connects Ahti’s FuelEU pooling platform with DNV’s verification services, Veracity, helping customers reduce manual administration and streamline compliance.

Published

7 days ago

September 1, 2026

Admin

Ahti Climate brings DNV-verified emissions data into FuelEU pooling platform

Ahti Climate on Monday (31 August) announced a new integration with Veracity, DNV’s independent industry cloud platform, enabling shipowners and operators to seamlessly transfer DNV-verified emissions data into Ahti’s FuelEU pooling platform.

The integration simplifies emissions reporting by connecting operational data verification with FuelEU compliance workflows, helping customers reduce manual administration, improve data quality and confidently meet regulatory requirements.

For customers such as shipping company Bore Ltd, the integration streamlines the flow of emissions data between verification and compliance systems. Raw fuel consumption data is automatically converted into the required OVD format and submitted for DNV verification through Veracity. Once verified, the emissions figures are securely shared with Ahti’s FuelEU pooling platform, creating a more efficient workflow with less manual administration and greater confidence in reported emissions data.

“Being on one of the surplus generators of the pool, trust in the data is everything for us – we need to know the numbers we’re selling hold up to scrutiny. With verified emissions data flowing straight from Veracity by DNV into the Ahti Pooling Platform, we no longer have to manually cross-check figures before every transaction. It gives us confidence that what we’re bringing to the pool is accurate, and that our partners can rely on it too,” said Marcus Strand ICT Manager at Bore Ltd.

The integration enables customers to:

Reduce manual data entry and administrative workload
Improve data quality and reduce the risk of reporting errors
Securely exchange verified emissions data across systems and stakeholders
Increase transparency and confidence in compliance reporting
Connect commercial, operational and compliance workflows
Reduce turnaround times for reporting and voyage settlements

“Every partnership we build comes back to the same question: does this make compliance easier for shipowners? With Veracity by DNV, the answer is clearly yes – verified data, connected systems, and one less thing for our customers to worry about,” said Risto-Juhani Kariranta, CEO of Ahti Climate.

With connectivity to the majority of the world fleet, Veracity’s trusted partner ecosystem, combined with Ahti’s expertise in FuelEU pooling, gives shipowners a more connected approach to emissions verification and compliance. By enabling verified data to flow securely between systems, the partnership helps customers reduce complexity and get greater value from their data and access a growing network of digital solutions.

Photo credit: Ahti Climate
Published: 1 September, 2026