High-rise multi-tenanted logistics hub to be ready by 2019

SINGAPORE — Singapore’s first high-rise multi-tenanted logistics facility to house container depots, warehouses and a heavy vehicle park all within a single development will be completed by 2019, improving efficiency and lowering costs for the logistics sector.

When completed, the JTC Logistics Hub @ Gul — which sits on a site area of 5.8ha — will be able to house about 30 warehouse units sized between 2,100 and 2,800sqm, and up to four container depot units with a maximum of 6,500 TEUs per floor.

“Currently, container depots, warehouses and heavy vehicle parks are located in different places across Singapore. As such, logistics operators have to move between them to pick up their vehicles, trailers and containers, hence incurring significant travelling time on the road … By housing container depots, warehouses and a heavy vehicle park within a single development, the JTC Logistics Hub enables logistics players to cut down travelling time, reduce their fuel costs and improve operational efficiency,” said Mr Png Cheong Boon, CEO of JTC at the groundbreaking ceremony yesterday.

To improve traffic and system flows, JTC yesterday also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Container Depot Association of Singapore (CDAS) to develop a traffic management system and warehouse booking system for the logistics hub.

The traffic management system is an extension of the existing container management system and e-container trucking system, and will optimise traffic flow within and around the hub.

The systems allow for seamless communication across multiple parties involving depot operators, logistics service providers and transportation companies.

“The new traffic management system will ... facilitate smoother traffic movement within the hub and enable the companies to have faster turnaround of the fleet within the hub, hence improving productivity and job scheduling processes,” said Mr Sharafdeen Abdul Rasak, president of the CDAS.

Additionally, yesterday also saw three inland container depot operators — Wing Seng Logistics, Pioneer Districentre and Container Connections — as well as warehouse operator Ocean Transportation express interest in taking up space at the hub.

“The clustering concept will offer us more opportunities to collaborate effectively with other businesses,” said Mr Fabian Ong, director of Ocean Transportation. ANGELA TENG