Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Audi recalls A8 models in South Korea due to stalling problem

    Audi recalls A8 models in South Korea due to stalling problem

    Audi is recalling 1,534 A8 cars in South Korea due to a stalling problem, the transport ministry said on Wednesday, adding it was the first country where the German carmaker was recalling the model for such a defect.

    The Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) division will expand the recall to the United States and other countries, South Korea said, in what would be a further blow to the German company reeling from its emissions-test cheating scandal.

    An Audi Volkswagen Korea spokeswoman confirmed it was the first recall for such a defect but said she was not aware of any plans to expand the recall to other countries.

    South Korea, a major market for the A8, has sought to punish Volkswagen aggressively following the scandal, suspending sales of some Volkswagen, Audi and Bentley cars for allegedly forging documents on emissions or noise-level tests.

    The ministry said it had found a design problem in a coolant control valve, which was causing the affected models to stall. This is a “serious defect which hampers safe driving,” the ministry said in a statement.

    An Audi spokesman in Germany said a magnetic valve near the car’s gearbox needed to be replaced and that there had been no other recalls in other countries so far.

    The model in question is the A8 4.2 FSI Quattro produced between July 2010 and April 2012.

  • Ford to recall 91,000 cars worldwide to fix fuel-pump issue

    Ford to recall 91,000 cars worldwide to fix fuel-pump issue

    Ford Motors said on Wednesday it was recalling about 91,000 vehicles worldwide to replace faulty fuel-pump parts that could potentially cause a car to stall without warning.

    Ford said it would replace fuel-pump control modules in about 88,151 vehicles, including certain of its 2013-15 model year Ford Taurus sedans, Ford Flex crossover utility vehicles, Lincoln MKS sedans, Lincoln MKT SUVs and Ford Police Interceptor sedans. (ford.to/2bOOxjg)

    The company also said it would recall about 2,472 Ford Transit vans to replace fuel-injection pumps in certain models manufactured in the year 2015-16.

    The carmaker said it was additionally recalling 23,150 Ford Escape SUVs of 2017 model year to update power-window software.

    Ford said is was not aware of any accidents or injuries associated with the issues.

  • Bank Indonesia still has chance to slacken its monetary policy

    Bank Indonesia still has chance to slacken its monetary policy

    Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Agus Martowardojo said the central bank still likely has a chance to relax its monetary policy in the second half of this year.

    “Seeing the condition in August, we can say that there is still a chance to slacken monetary policy but whether it will be carried out next September or October will depend on the data” the central bank governor said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

    BIs board of governors meeting on August 18-19 decided to maintain its 7-Day Reverse Repo Rate (BI 7-day RR Rate) at 5.25 percent with a deposit facility (DF) interest rate of 4.5 percent and lending facility (LF) being lowered by 100 basis points from 7.0 percent to 6.0 percent.

    BI began introducing the 7-Day RR Rate last April. At the BIs board of governors meeting on April 21, 2016, the BI Rate was fixed at 6.75 percent and the BI Repo Rate at 5.50

    Besides this, the BI also maintained a symmetrical and narrow interest rate corridor where the lower limit of DF Rate is set 75 basis points below the 7-Day RR rate and the upper limit of LF Rate is set 75 basis points above the 7-Day RR Rate.

    The decision is in line with the efforts to maintain the macroeconomic stability by continuously preserving the momentum of domestic economic growth amid weakening global economic performance.

    With macroeconomic stability, controlled inflation at targeted range, good current transaction deficit and stable currency rate, room for monetary relaxation is still open.

    The BI also continues to take abreast of short-term domestic global economic development, particularly the possibility for the Fed to raise its Fund Rate. “We wilL see it in September there will be flight to quality with regard to reports on the improvement of the United States economy.”

  • DHL Introduces Multimodel Mongolian Connection

    DHL Introduces Multimodel Mongolian Connection

    DHL Global Forwarding has launched road and multimodal freight services linking Mongolia to Europe and the US.

    The new road connection to continental Europe has a transit time of less than 20 days and passes through Russia and Belarus. It supports different business sizes by offering both full truck load and less-than-truck load options.

    “Mongolia’s economy is rebounding from the mining downturn, further building on its status as the world’s second-largest cashmere producer and a food and agricultural export hub,” said Kelvin Leung, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. “With Mongolian businesses gaining a growing slice of global market share, supported by an increasingly solid network of regional free trade agreements, Mongolia’s dominant trading partners also stand to gain from increases in domestic consumption of foreign goods.”

    The new service is aimed at the movement of goods such as furniture, medicines wine into Mongolia, and exports such as mining spare parts, cashmere products and all-terrain bikes.

    The new multimodal connection with the US offers full container load and less-than-container load options. With a transit time of as few as 18 days, it passes from the US by air to South Korea, by ocean to China and then by rail and road to Mongolia.

    “The new road freight and multimodal services provide both small businesses and large enterprises with an especially cost-effective and timely way of testing demand and establishing consistent trade between both markets,” said Charles Kaufmann, CEO of North Asia and head of value-added services at DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. “As the only international logistics provider with a local presence in Mongolia, DHL enables overseas exporters to gain a head-start in accessing the ‘Wolf Economy’ as it continues its path to the front of the pack.”

    Goods expected to be transported into Mongolia include watches, coffee machines and motorcycles, while exports include aviation spare parts, camel wool and rally cars, according to DHL.

  • Toll, Specialty Fashion build retail distribution centre

    Toll, Specialty Fashion build retail distribution centre

    Toll Group has unveiled its plans to build a state-of-the-art retail distribution centre in collaboration with apparel retailer, Specialty Fashion Group.  The 32,000 square metre distribution centre will be built by Logos Group Australia at the Prestons Logistics Estate, Sydney.

    Fitted with advanced automation technologies to enable fast and efficient distribution to customers, the facility will be one of the first in Australia specifically designed to cater for the growing retail eCommerce market.

    Toll has worked closely with Specialty Fashion Group to design a distribution centre that will meet the demands of the retailer’s recent growth, and support its continual focus on improving omni-channel delivery including online and ‘click and collect’ ordering.

    The Prestons facility will enable Specialty Fashion Group to get products to stores and customers faster than ever before.

    In a ground breaking ceremony at the site, Toll’s Managing Director, Brian Kruger, and Specialty Fashion Group CEO, Gary Perlstein, turned soil to mark the start of construction.

    Brian Kruger said “We are excited to announce our plans for this innovative distribution centre – an Australian first in automation for eCommerce processing and distribution.

    “Our aim at Toll is to connect people and products, and we look forward to working with Specialty Fashion Group to enable a fast, efficient and cost effective supply chain for its customers.”

    Gary Perlstein said “Currently, Specialty Fashion Group sells a garment a second in Australia. We have worked with Toll to create a supply chain solution that enables our omni-channel strategy across all brands for a streamlined and memorable customer experience.”

    Toll has designed the facility to include several leading automation technologies including a multi-shuttle tote storage system, goods-to-person pick stations, automated and ergonomic eCommerce processing stations, automatic carton optimisation machines and a tier one warehouse management system.

    These technologies will enable the site to manage high volumes efficiently and quickly, despatching products for faster delivery and reducing overall costs per unit.

    The facility will employ around 120 warehouse operators and is expected to despatch more than 90 million units annually. Construction is expected to be completed in October 2017.

  • Governement Aims to Protect Fintech Customers

    Governement Aims to Protect Fintech Customers

    Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution wants to have an agency that protects customers of (financial technology/fintech) companies. The agency will also monitor and supervise fintech businesses to make sure they comply with existing laws and regulations.

    The agency, he said, will work in similar ways to the Central Securities Depository (KSEI) and the Clearing and Guarantee Corporation (KPEI) in supervising capital market transactions.

    “In the case of contract breaches, consumers must not incur losses. There must be an agency that covers the loss, he said at the Indonesia Fintech Festival, Tuesday, August 30.

    He said that the fintech industry offers an opportunity for entrepreneurs and the financial services sector. But fintechs have their negative impacts and risks as well, that’s why the OJK and Bank Indonesia (BI) must regulate the industry for the protection of its customers.

    BI Governor Agus Martowardojo supports the development of fintechs, saying it is an industry that allows faster, more efficient services for the financial industry in terms of payment system.

    Agus said he has three hopes for the fintech industry. First, for international fintechs to register as an Indonesian entity. Second, to have all payments denominated in rupiah, and third is for the industry to save their funds in the national banking system.

    President Joko Widodo, who attended the Fintech Festival, said that the business is a golden opportunity for people living in remote areas. Widodo believes that better access to financial services will crunch income gap.

    “I invite fintech businesses to innovate and spawn new breakthroughs in the use of digital technology that will fast-track financial inclusivity,” he said.

  • Southco chooses DHL as sole global logistics provider

    Southco chooses DHL as sole global logistics provider

    DHL Global Forwarding announced that   Southco, a global source for engineered access hardware solutions, has chosen DHL once again as its sole global logistics provider.

    The company renewed their existing contract with DHL for another four years for a combination of air, ocean, domestic and customs brokerage services on various trade lanes.

    Southco currently uses DHL Global Forwarding to ship a variety of its latches, hinges and engineered access hardware products between its 17 engineering and manufacturing locations in the Americas,Europe and Asia Pacific .

    DHL transports Southco’s access hardware products via ocean freight and via DHL’s Less-Than-Container Load (LCL) solution. In Europe , the company uses DHL’s road freight to move its finished products from its manufacturing plant in the United Kingdom to continental Europe .

    “With their focus on delivering customized engineering solutions for applications in industries such as automotive, aerospace, mass transit and off-highway/construction, timely delivery and efficient supply chain management is critical to Southco and its customers. Their renewal of the DHL contract for another four years is testament to their confidence in our track record of delivering to their expectations. Our experienced team will continue to optimize their supply chain between South China and the U.S.,” said Piak-Hwee Tan , Senior Vice President, Marketing & Sales, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.

    “The relationship we have developed with DHL has been crucial to the success of our manufacturing facilities maintaining a continuous production flow, allowing us to get our products to market faster,” said Paul Smith , director, Global Supply Chain, Southco, Inc.

    “With DHL Global Forwarding’s presence in the markets where we operate, it has helped us minimize or avoid unnecessary disruptions to our supply chain during any type of natural disaster or major event. DHL Global Forwarding also provides us with a global point of contact along with regional points of contacts in all regions where Southco operates, providing us day-to-day updates of our shipments and how we perform against our key performance indicators.”

    Southco has more than 100 years’ experience in helping its customers overcome engineering challenges, with a focus on differentiating the engineered “touch points” of their products to ultimately improve the end user experience.

    DHL Global Forwarding has more than 200 years helping its customers meet their needs, including those in the engineering and manufacturing industry with its warehousing, order fulfillment, sub-assembly and transportation management, among other core services.

  • Singapore students win FedEx challenge

    Singapore students win FedEx challenge

    A team of student entrepreneurs from Singapore have been crowned winners of the FedEx Express/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge (FedEx/JA ITC) Asia Pacific Finals in Hong Kong.

    Challenged to come up with an idea for a travel security product or service for the U.K., team Kung Fu Pandas – made up of Colin Chee and Tan Jie Ying – impressed the judges with their product “RobStop”, a convertible bag with slash-proof body panels made of stainless steel mesh that can help to thwart pickpockets and protect all important personal belongings while travelling.

    In total, 48 students from eight Asia-Pacific markets (Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) took part in this year’s contest.

    “We came up with an idea that we thought would work and that we believed in, but some of the other team’s proposals were really outstanding, so we didn’t expect to be the winners,” said Colin Chee and Tan Jie Ying of Kung Fu Pandas.

    “Taking part in the contest has been a really eye-opening experience, and it’s made us realize that, with some planning, research and a good idea, it’s surprisingly easy to set up a business in real life.”

    Evelyn Tsui and Tanya Tam of team DOTS from Hong Kong took second place in the contest with their idea of “Secure Egg”, a compact portable device that helps elderly travelers in emergency situations by enabling them to connect to their families or even the police at the push of a button.

    Team LOHAS, also from Hong Kong, came third. Team members Michelle Ng and Vanessa Kwang devised “KidSafe”, a children’s backpack that tracks children’s whereabouts. Once the backpack leaves the “safety zone” set by parents, the parents receive an automatic alert.

    “Modern technology makes international markets more accessible to even the smallest business than ever before,” said Karen Reddington, president, FedEx Express Asia Pacific.

    “I’m delighted that, by supporting FedEx Express/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge, we are helping to develop and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to recognize the opportunities for themselves. The program has grown considerably in both size and stature over the last 10 years, which is a testament of a huge success that FedEx is proud to be associated with.”

    “It is remarkable that FedEx/JA ITC has now been running for 10 years and we are very proud that it has not only endured, but actually grown considerably,” said Vivian Lau, president, JA Asia Pacific.

    “Our goal for the program was always to inspire young people to think big in what they can achieve in the world of business, and to enable them by equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills through challenges that were as close to real life as possible. The feedback of previous years tells us that participants really benefited from the program, and we will work to ensure it remains equally valuable in the years to come.”

  • Zebra expands global ISV strategy

    Zebra expands global ISV strategy

    Zebra Technologies Corporation announced a global independent software vendor (ISV) initiative designed to increase collaboration and expand engagement with the wider developer community.

    New independent software vendor initiatives to expand solutions that help customers make smarter decisions with real-time visibility.

    Zebra also announced the appointment of James Pemberton as the global lead of this initiative, which will help our customers make smarter decisions with products, software and services that build visibility that’s visionary.

    The new initiative will increase market penetration with ISV partners and enable enterprise application development through a revamped developer community portal. Zebra’s global ISV program reflects the global nature of software businesses. Partners can join in multiple regions simultaneously; they can register and be recognized for projects globally.

    Zebra offers powerful, go-to-market tools to promote ISV partners’ apps, such as AppGallery, an online and mobile Android app-distribution and management platform. AppGallery is pre-installed on Zebra’s enterprise Android devices, including a global demo capability and virtual shop-window for ISV Partners’ apps.

    Key facts

    • The new program includes global Influence Rewards. These recognize and reward ISVs who influence customers – through their software – to buy Zebra products anywhere globally. They receive free demo kits and financial rewards for registering projects.
    • Zebra’s active developer outreach campaign includes engagement at events such as Andevcon, AppsWorld and DroidCon. Plans are also underway for Zebra’s own global enterprise developer event series, “AppForum2017”.
    • Pemberton’s work with teams across Zebra will create a common approach for ISVs to be more integrated in product development that feeds into Zebra’s enterprise asset intelligence solutions and go-to-market activities.
    • Since 2005, Pemberton has focused on developing, improving, marketing and managing the EMEA ISV program at Symbol Technologies, Motorola Solutions and Zebra. He previously worked in several retail and e-commerce software companies.

    Bill Cate, Vice President, Channel Strategy and Operations, Zebra, said: “The launch of this initiative demonstrates Zebra’s commitment to the channel and clear recognition of the importance of the ISV partner and develop communities. James’ proven dedication to building strategic relationships with these important groups is key to leading Zebra’s renewed efforts to further engage them in building solutions that help our customers know more about their business.”
    James Pemberton, Global ISV Strategy Director, Zebra, said: “Innovation driven by the ISV partner and developer communities strategically aligns with the industry leading product portfolio Zebra offers to its customers, and we are poised to successfully reach more developers focused on enterprise projects than ever before. I’m excited to see this developer outreach and our ISV partner collaboration yield new opportunities, profitability and simplicity to benefit all parties involved.”

  • Xiamen Airlines takes on board EzyCustoms

    Xiamen Airlines takes on board EzyCustoms

    Global Logistics System (HK) Co., Ltd (“GLS”) welcomes Xiamen Airlines to the EzyCustoms service after the successful implementation of this single platform with multi-Customs integration.

    Xiamen Airlines is extending its network to Canada from July 2016.  The airline is looking for a reliable partner that provides a solution to enable its full compliance with the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) Advance Commercial Information (ACI) requirements.

    The ACI programme requires air carriers to electronically transmit air conveyance and cargo information (including supplementary cargo reports where applicable) to the CBSA prior to the arrival in Canada. This requirement allows the CBSA to effectively identify threats to Canada’s health, safety, and security prior to the arrival of cargo and conveyance in Canada.

    EzyCustoms is a one stop web-based multi-Customs clearance platform that fully compliant with the diverse ACI requirements.  It complies with different Customs authorities including: the European Union (EU) Customs, the US AAMS and the ACE (scheduled to start by the end of 2016), the Canada CBSA, as well as the other customs authorities in India, Bangladesh and the Philippines.  At present, a number of China carriers are clients to EzyCustoms service.

    Tony Sham, CEO of Global Logistics System (HK) Co., Ltd said: “GLS is pleased to welcome Xiamen Airlines joining the EzyCustoms community. As an experienced and expert service provider in the industry, we are grateful to be appointed by Xiamen Airlines to fulfil the application, registration and the certification with CBSA.  We look forward to seeing EzyCustoms performs proficiently in the airline’s operations, and to extending our other EzySuite service to Xiamen Airlines in the near future.”

    Yang Gaorong, General Manager of Cargo at Xiamen Airlines said: “Thanks to the GLS support to the implementation of EzyCustoms in Xiamen Airlines.  As EzyCustoms not only fully complies with the ACI requirements in Canada, but also with customs authorities in the other regions around the world, we are better placed with quality assurance while the airline continues to grow.  In addition, we choose to co-operate with GLS as we share the same language and time zone, we can obtain support swiftly.”

  • Indonesia, Norway to expand energy cooperation

    Indonesia, Norway to expand energy cooperation

    Indonesia and Norway have agreed to expand energy cooperation and business-to-business contacts in various sectors of energy development.

    The agreement was reached during an Indonesia-Norway bilateral energy meeting in Stavanger recently, according to Hartyo Harkomoyo, spokesman of the Indonesian Embassy in Oslo.

    Harkomoyo quoted Norwegian Oil and Energy Deputy Minister Ingvil Smines Tybring-Gjedde as saying at the meeting that the country was keen to share its expertise and experiences with Indonesia for the development of the energy sector.

    In response to the statement of the Norwegian oil and energy deputy minister, Energy and Natural Resources Ministrys director for oil and gas development program Agus Cahyono Adi, who led the Indonesian delegation at the meeting, noted that Indonesia was ready to host the Indonesia-Norway energy dialog in March 2017.

    Adi remarked that during the energy dialog, the two countries will discuss governance and regulation in oil and gas exploration, the use of Carbon Capture Storage technology and enhanced oil recovery to revive old wells, and the development of new and renewable energy, among others.

    In the meantime, Indonesian Ambassador to Norway Yuwono A. Putranto said energy is one of the key areas of cooperation in the partnership between Indonesia and Norway.

    In order to focus on the partnership, Indonesia and Norway have agreed on the mechanism to hold regular meetings through dialog in the energy sector every two years.

  • The new tallest building in Thailand looks like a pixelated image in mid-download

    The new tallest building in Thailand looks like a pixelated image in mid-download

    At 1,029 feet, the MahaNakhon is now the tallest building in Thailand. The 77-story tower beats the skyscraper that previously held the title, Baiyoke Tower II, by 33 feet.

    To celebrate its debut on August 29, the building lit up Bangkok’s skies with a fantastic light show. The skyscraper’s signature ribbon, which is made to like a partially-downloaded spiral of pixels, lit up, creating a beacon in the capital city’s skyline.mahanakhon-oma_ole_scheeren_v_4

    The building is designed for a mix of retail, hotel and residential use — it holds 200 condo units managed by Ritz-Carlton Residences.

    The Office for Metropolitan Architecture — the firm founded by famed Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas — announced plans for the building in 2009, but the final design was completed by international architecture firm Büro Ole Scheeren. The firm teamed up with Thai residential property developer PACE Development, and the building reportedly cost 18 billion baht ($520 million) to complete.

    PACE hopes to sell some of the hotel space and observation decks to a local real estate investment trust next year, the Bangkok Post reports. Some of the revenue from that sale will likely recoup construction costs — as will ticket sales for the building’s observation deck, and rents from the other hotel and retail spaces. Gourmet grocery store Dean & Deluca is also expected to open in the building.

    But it might not stay Thailand’s tallest skyscraper for long. A new structure, the Rama IX Super Tower, is proposed to be built in 2019. At 2,018 feet tall, it would be almost twice the size of the MahaNakhon.

  • Jollibee, Puregold, Robinsons retail make it to Forbes ‘Fab 50’

    Jollibee, Puregold, Robinsons retail make it to Forbes ‘Fab 50’

    Three Filipino companies made it into Forbes’ list of 50 best-performing listed firms in Asia this year.

    Jollibee Foods Corp., Puregold Price Club, Inc. and Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. were included among “Asia’s Fab 50 Companies,” compiled by Forbes Magazine.

    Companies are selected based on their record of revenues, operating earnings and return on capital over the last five years.

    “These 50 companies have solid financial track records, coupled with great management and entrepreneurial skill,” Forbes said in its website.

    China dominated the list with 21 companies, including frontrunner Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. The e-commerce giant has a market value of $242.5 billion.

    With three representatives on the list, the Philippines beat out countries like Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, with only one company each.

    The Philippine firms, however, still had considerably lower market value than their regional counterparts.

    Fast food company Jollibee was the largest among the three Philippine companies, with a market value of $5.9 billion. Other than the iconic Jollibee brand, it also owns Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, and Burger King in the country.

    Supermarket operator Puregold followed with $2.6 billion. The Lucio Co firm runs the Puregold and S&R Membership Shopping chains.

    Lastly, Robinsons Retail notched $2.5 billion. The company handles Robinsons’ supermarkets and department stores, as well as Ministop convenience stores, South Star Drug pharmacies, among others.

    Meanwhile, property developer SM Prime Holdings, Inc. was cited as one of “Asia’s Stars in the Making.”

    Forbes listed a dozen Asian companies “waiting in the wings” — just narrowly missing out on the Fab 50 for the year. These “rising stars” are considered “potential candidates in the coming years,” Forbes said in its website.

    The Sy-led SM Prime operates SM’s portfolio of shopping malls, residential properties, office buildings, and hotels.

  • Singapore Changi announces latest retail and F&B openings

    Singapore Changi announces latest retail and F&B openings

    Singapore Changi Airport has announced a number of new store openings across its terminals.

    In the transit areas, Electronics by Sprint-Cass and childrens’ clothing retailer BloomB have commenced operations in Terminal 1.

    The transit retail area in Terminal 3 offers a range of stores, with Ermenegildo Zegna the latest addition

    In Terminal 2, ramen emporium Ippudo Express, local quick bite outlet Old Chang Kee and American footwear brand Converse have opened.

    Italian luxury fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna has opened its first Changi store in Terminal 3. It offers a range of men’s clothing and accessories.

    The airport also noted that Travelex Money Changer now operates six 24-hour money changing outlets across all three terminals.

    In the public areas, Peach Garden Chinese Dining has opened in Terminal 2 (Level 3), serving classic Chinese dishes and dim sum in a contemporary style. Snacks store Umeya is now operating an island kiosk at Terminal 3 (Basement 2).

    The airport handled 5.18 million passengers in July, a +5.9% year-on-year increase. Aircraft movements were +4.7% higher at 30,790 landings and takeoffs.

    All of Changi’s top five country markets achieved growth of at least +5% during the month. Passenger traffic between Singapore and China rose +13.4% to over half a million movements. Among Changi’s top ten city destinations, Denpasar (+13.1%) and Melbourne (+20.6%) recorded the strongest growth.

  • BigOceanData supplies Singaporean government with vessel monitoring

    BigOceanData supplies Singaporean government with vessel monitoring

    BigOceanData and Alltek Technology Singapore have won a competitive open tender to supply AIS vessel monitoring services to a Singapore government organisation.

    BigOceanData’s modern, web-based AIS (Automatic Identification System) vessel monitoring system and fleet management tools are now helping to track and report on up to 50 material container vessels at any one time that are inward bound to Singapore.

    The tender selection process was tough with the client demanding a very high standard to meet their need for a modern, high-intensity ocean vessel monitoring operation with integrated mapping and charting information.

    “The contract was finally won not only by meeting all the contractual and pricing requirements, but also because BigOceanData was able to demonstrate advanced features such as different ocean state conditions, good AIS coverage both terrestrial and satellite, a modern, user-friendly interface and good local support,” according to Sebastian Koh, Managing Director of Alltek Technology Singapore.

    The system is now fully operational following on-site user training for the agency’s personnel delivered by BigOceanData personnel and Alltek is providing local support.

    The government agency is operating the standard BigOceanData interface. Among the many other features of the system that are now assisting the agency with its high-intensity monitoring operation are the integration of mapping and charting information together with a range of port monitoring tools including ‘vessels scheduled’, ‘vessels in port and departed’ and ‘vessel time in port’ reports.