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Tag: Singapore

  • Awards to recognise eCommerce merchants

    As Southeast Asia eCommerce merchants set benchmarks in a booming industry, their efforts are about to be celebrated with the launch of annual awards.

    Based in Kuala Lumpur, online shopping aggregator iPrice Group has launched the iPrice eCommerce Merchant Awards (iEMA) 2016 in partnership with eTail Asia, a service for eCommerce professionals, and Trusted Company, a review platform for eCommerce businesses in emerging markets.

    The first awards ceremony will be held in conjunction with the annual eTail Asia conference at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on March 8 next. The inaugural iEMA 2016 will feature country and regional winners in two categories – Most Popular eCommerce Merchant of the Year and Highest-Quality eCommerce Merchant of the Year. Merchants do not have to submit entries as all qualifying merchants are automatically enlisted.

    “Based on studies by Google and Temasek, the Southeast Asian eCommerce market is expected to see exponential growth from US$6 billion to about US$90 billion in 2025,” says iPrice Group CEO David Chmelar.

    “With new players in the eCommerce industry coming up every left, right and centre, it is imperative we highlight excellence in the sector in hopes to further inspire and encourage both existing and upcoming merchants to excel further in Southeast Asia.”

    Consumer choice

    Finalists and winners for the awards will be chosen by consumers via the iEMA 2016 microsite. People can vote only once, with January 31 the deadline.

    Meanwhile, in an effort to also recognise special initiatives by eCommerce merchants that might have escaped attention, a third category has been set up to highlight efforts by businesses that have undertaken projects to support a social or non-profit organisation. This will be judged by a panel of experts from the eCommerce sector with only one overall regional winner being chosen. The judging panel comprises Chmelar, Asia Venture Group CEO/founder Tim Marbach, Worldwide Business Research GM Danny Levy, Trusted Company co-founder/MD Frederick Krass, Google Vietnam head of marketing Anh Nguyen and 500 Startups managing partner Khailee Ng.

    Submissions for this award are being accepted from for both consumers and eCommerce merchants through the iEMA 2016 website.

    Voting is being accepted at the iEMA 2016 microsites for Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

    iPrice Group is a Southeast Asian metasearch engine that enables shoppers to find products, compare prices and save. It seamlessly connects them to hundreds of eCommerce merchants in the region.

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  • Singapore Slingers seals three-year broadcast deal with StarHub

    Singapore Slingers seals three-year broadcast deal with StarHub

    Slingers and StarHub have entered into a partnership that will see the pay TV operator become the official broadcast partner of the Singapore Slingers for three years starting with the upcoming ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) season.

    All of the Slingers’ matches in the ABL will be shown “live” on StarHub’s free sports channel, Hub Sports Arena (StarHub TV Channel 112/205). Non-StarHub TV customers can also watch the channel by connecting their TV sets to a cable point and turning to 76.25MHz.

    In addition, the games will be accessible on smart devices through StarHub’s online streaming service, StarHub Go.

    “This broadcast agreement with StarHub is poised to give the team a massive boost as our games can now reach a wider audience,” said Michael Johnson, general manager of the Singapore Slingers. “After coming so close to winning the league last season, we believe we are poised to go on another championship run, and our fans will be able to follow us more closely with this partnership.”

    Lee Soo Hui, head of content and TV at StarHub, said that being a homegrown brand, they are proud to back the Slingers.

    “The team is fueled by the support of the fans which is why we are making it as convenient as possible for them to follow the Slingers,” said Lee. “With this partnership, Slingers fans can now catch the team’s ABL matches ‘live’ on multiple platforms across TV, tablets and smartphones, so they can cheer the team on wherever they are.”

    She said StarHub will also be looking to engage fans by running contests where viewers can stand to win premiums and tickets to Slingers matches.

    Now into its seventh season, the six-team ABL welcomes three new teams to the league – Alab Pilipinas (Philippines), Hong Kong Eastern Long Lions (Hong Kong) and Kaohsiung Truth (Taiwan). They will be joined by the defending champions Westports Malaysia Dragons (Malaysia), Singapore Slingers (Singapore) and Saigon Heat (Vietnam).

    Each of the six teams will face each other four times during the three-month elimination round. The top four squads with the best record will then enter the playoffs.

    Meanwhile, StarHub TV in partnership with Astro Malaysia, is launching Go Shop (StarHub TV Channel 110), a 24-hour, Mandarin shopping channel that will also be made available on StarHub Go, StarHub’s video streaming service, by early next year.

    To entice consumers, Go Shop will introduce special offers on TV through innovative bundling that cannot be found anywhere else. It aims to offer value by combining the main product with other product lines to complement the core offering.

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  • IMDA investigating Singtel broadband outage

    IMDA investigating Singtel broadband outage

    Singapore’s Infocomm and Media Development Authority (IMDA) is investigating Singtel over a recent nearly 24-hour broadband outage islandwide.

    Singtel announced the outage commenced at around 8:45am on Saturday and services were fully restored at 8:25am on Sunday, although some customers were still reporting connection problems.

    The operator said on social media that its engineers are still tracing the cause of the outage, which was associated with servers being unable to assign IP addresses to customers’ modems. TV, fixed phone and mobile services remained unaffected.

    Engineers have so far ruled out a DDoS attack, indicating that the company did not face a Mirai-linked attack of the kind that left a significant portion of customers of Germany’s Deutsche Telekom without services late last month.

    Singtel announced it will provide affected broadband customers with a 10% discount on their month’s bill, and the company will waive mobile data charges accrued over the weekend for its joint broadband and mobile subscribers.

    In a statement, the IMDA said the regulator takes service outages seriously and will be investigating both the cause of the incident and the service recovery measures taken by Singtel.

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  • McDonald’s Singapore franchise rights sold to Lionhorn

    McDonald’s Singapore franchise rights sold to Lionhorn

    McDonald’s Singapore and Malaysia franchise rights have been sold to Saudi Arabian company Lionhorn as part of a broader plan by the US fast food company to move away from direct ownership in Asia.

    It has transferred its ownership interest in 390 restaurants, more than 80 per cent of which were company-owned.
    Lionhorn is led by Sheik Fahd and Abdulrahman Alireza, who are franchisees for nearly 100 McDonald’s restaurants in the western and southern regions of Saudi Arabia.

    McDonald’s has not disclosed the financial terms of the deal. It says it has now franchised about 1300 outlets as a part of its target to become 95 per cent franchised by the end of 2018.

    “This transaction marks another milestone in our company’s ongoing efforts to identify strategic partners who share our values and vision to accelerate our growth and scale across diverse markets, drive innovation and place us closer to our customers and the communities we serve,” says McDonald’s president/CEO Steve Easterbrook.

    Under the developmental licensee (DL) structure, Lionhorn will provide the capital necessary to support and grow the business. It will pay an initial franchise fee and an ongoing royalty to McDonald’s.

    Leading the day-to-day management of the Malaysia and Singapore markets, respectively, will be local partners Azmir Jaafar and Kenneth Chan, both of whom previously held senior leadership positions at McDonald’.

    Jaafar will continue as the Malaysia market’s MD. He was previously chief development officer of McDonald’s China and MD of the company’s Middle East markets.

    Chan joins Lionhorn as MD for Singapore. Before this he was division president for China and Greater Asia as well as CEO of Greater China and MD of Singapore with oversight to Malaysia, Korea and Taiwan.

    McDonald’s has more than 36,000 locations in more than 100 countries. More than 80 per cent of its restaurants worldwide are franchised, with McDonald’s having used the DL ownership structure for more than 30 years.

  • In Singapore, Credit Cards Set to Collapse by Nearly a Quarter

    In Singapore, Credit Cards Set to Collapse by Nearly a Quarter

    Credit card use in Singapore is set to fall 24% in less than five years, according to new research from Worldpay, the leader in global payments.

    For its Global Payments Report 2016, Worldpay analysed 30 eCommerce markets around the world, including Singapore, China, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Australia in Asia. In Singapore, Worldpay found that although credit cards are the most popular payment method at the moment, taking a 60% share of the payments market, credit cards are set to collapse by 24 percentage points in 2020.

    Phil Pomford, General Manager Asia Pacific, Global eCom at Worldpay, said: “Our projections show that by 2020, credit cards will account for just 36% of the payment market in Singapore, which represents a significant drop in usage. This growing credit-wariness could be symptomatic of a wider political push to help consumers avoid debt. The government’s Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) rules, implemented in 2013, were designed to ensure that monthly debt payments don’t exceed 60% of the debtor’s monthly income. This public focus on the issue of debt helps explain why credit card use is predicted to fall nearly a quarter in less than five years, while debit card use is expected to rise.”

    At the moment, debit cards, cash on delivery and bank transfers each account for 9% of the total payments market in Singapore. However, according to Worldpay’s research, all of these non-credit payment options will double or nearly double by 2020. Debit card use is expected to rise by 9 percentage points to cover 18% of the total payments market by 2020, while cash on delivery and bank transfers will represent 18% and 17% of the market, respectively. E-wallet growth is likely to remain relatively flat, growing from 9% market share in 2016 to 10% share by 2020.

    Consumer debt has been a growing topic in Singapore over the past few years, leading the government to create new regulations in order to help borrowers pay down their debts and to prevent further debt from accumulating[1]. Three years ago, the government introduced the TDSR rules to prevent any Singaporean from taking out a loan if the resulting monthly payments would equate to 60% or more of his or her salary. Although those regulations were recently loosened to help people with long-standing loans refinance more flexibly, Worldpay’s recent research still indicates that the government’s programme to increase credit awareness and discourage too much borrowing is resonating with consumers. They are aware of and concerned about rising household debt[2] and now want easier access to non-credit payment options.

    Pomford added: “Our research strongly suggests that Singaporeans will start using a wider range of payment methods in the next five years, possibly influenced by the government’s work to reduce consumer debt and encourage Singaporeans to think more carefully before they shop on credit. Therefore, online merchants that want to win the hearts and wallets of shoppers in Singapore must offer a range of traditional and alternative payment methods – from debit cards, to cash on delivery and bank transfers – because credit cards alone just aren’t enough. Companies that sell online can also partner with a knowledgeable payment provider in order to ensure that they continue to offer the right payment experience and keep gaining customers in Singapore’s thriving eCommerce market, which is set to grow by 11% to US$5.8 billion by 2020.”

  • World’s First Japan Rail Cafe Now In Singapore

    World’s First Japan Rail Cafe Now In Singapore

    After encountering a slew of character cafes this year, it was particularly refreshing to discover the travel-themed Japan Rail Cafe. The first of its kind in the world, the cafe is East Japan Railway Company (JR East)’s first overseas venture.

    For the uninitiated, JR East primarily serves the Kanto and Tohoku regions in Japan. Those who’ve been to the Land of the Rising Sun should be pretty familiar with it!

    With its overarching aim to promote Japan travel in Singapore, the cafe is primed to be a one-stop-shop for travelers and hungry cafe hoppers alike.

    The spacious cafe is decked out in warm shades of wood and bright pops of teal. Rail tracks also run all around the cafe, from the walls to the ceilings — a quirky nod to its theme.

    Buy your rail passes here

    Upon entering, a Japan Rail Pass Counter greets you with its huge sign. Here, customers can purchase exchange orders for JR passes before their trips at the instore rail pass ticketing counter operated by JTB Pte Ltd.

    Best of all, the range of rail passes covers not only JR East but all other passes issued by the five other Japan Railway companies, namely JR Kyushu, JR West, JR Shikoku, JR Central and JR Hokkaido. This covers almost all regions in Japan!

    The menu comes in the form of a well-designed newsletter, which currently highlights the Tohoku region of Japan.

    Foodies will be delighted to know that a special menu will be launched each month, where representative dishes of a region will be featured, alongside regular items.kaisen-avocado-don

    Regional delights

    The dishes, though simple, are fuss-free, well-thought out and delicious. In fact, the variety is reminiscent of the quick-service eateries so often found near the rail stations in Japan.

    Their signature Ultimate ABC Burger ($19) is a treat for the palette.

    ABC stands for the key ingredients that make up the burger — avocado, bacon and cheddar cheese, which complements the juicy wagyu beef patty within. The slightly sweet and soft buns make the perfect vessel for these hearty fillings.

    In light of the Tohoku region showcase, diners will also be able to savour the Kaisen Avocado Don.

    The donburi (rice bowl) bursts with the freshness of ingredients like sashimi, ikura (fish roe) and aomori scallops. Topped with mentaiko, sesame and seaweed, the dish is equal parts hearty and healthy.

    watashino-curry-riceIf you’re a fan of Japanese curry, be sure to try the Watashino Curry Rice ($18).

    The satisfying combination of the black pepper-based curry and 10 grain rice is elevated by the fact that you can customise the dish with various mains. Pick from the likes of crispy chicken cutlet, fried oyster and crab cream korokke.

    Retail and workshops

    After you’ve eaten your fill, check out the retail corner at the cafe, lovingly curated by Oishii Japan. Each month, the retail corner will feature various food items from the featured region.

    Plus, there’ll be a range of products from JR East’s retail stores and shopping malls inside JR East train stations — a manifestation of Japan’s new lifestyle phenomenon “Eki Naka”, which means “in-station shopping”.

    And if you’re planning a trip to Japan, the monthly seminars and workshops held at the cafe will be exceptionally useful to attend.

    The cafe looks set to collaborate with partners including Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), Japanese local governments and Japanese corporations.

    Looks like the Japan Rail Cafe isn’t just for train otakus!

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  • Singapore Airlines: year-round Airbus A380 flights for Melbourne

    Singapore Airlines: year-round Airbus A380 flights for Melbourne

    Singapore Airlines is bringing its flagship Airbus A380 back to Melbourne on a year-round basis, extending the airline’s temporary superjumbo service to the Victorian capital: previously due to end in March 2017 before reverting to a Boeing 777.

    Instead, SQ’s A380s will continue gracing Melbourne’s skies, a Singapore Airlines spokesperson confirmed with the jet now appearing daily on flight SQ217 from Singapore and SQ218 from Melbourne.

    The world’s largest passenger aircraft offers travellers a choice between Suites Class, business class, premium economy and economy.

    ‘Suites Class’ is Singapore parlance for ‘A380 first class’, with these passengers gaining access to a dedicated Singapore Airlines first class lounge in Melbourne or The Private Room in Singapore before their flight, after which, they’ll fly in style and privacy with all suites featuring closing doors:

    Business class too provides fully-flat beds with direct aisle access courtesy of the 1-2-1 cabin layout, with plenty of space to work and relax during the day as well.

    Premium economy instead comes in a 2-4-2 arrangement, with reclining seats offering 38 inches of total space – known as ‘pitch’ – plus a padded leg rest and swing-down foot rest:

    Melbournians can catch the A380 on flight SQ218 – departing the Coffee Capital at 1:05am daily to reach Singapore at 5:45am – and aboard SQ217 on the return: wheels-up at 10:45am for a 9:10pm touchdown later that evening.

    In recent times, Singapore Airlines has also upgraded selected Brisbane-Singapore flights from Airbus A330s to the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, complete with A380-style fully-flat beds in place of the less-appealing ‘sloping sleepers’ found on the A330s.

  • HSBC enables Apple Pay for Singapore cardholders

    HSBC enables Apple Pay for Singapore cardholders

    Customers can enjoy $5 off every transaction as a kick off promo. HSBC Singapore is treating its HSBC Visa and MasterCard credit cardholders with Apple Pay.

    Customers using iPhone SE, iPhone 6 to higher versions, and Apple Watch can use Apple Pay in stores with Visa payWave or MasterCard contactless payment terminals in Singapore and overseas.

    As a kick off treat, HSBC customers will be given $5 off for every Apple Pay transaction with their HSBC credit cards, with a minimum spend of $10 per transaction. This promo will be on until January 15 next year.

    Commenting on the launch, HSBC Singapore head of retail banking and wealth management Anurag Mathur said going digital is part of the banks strategy as technology and mobility are changing how our customers do banking.

    “Our findings show that awareness of contactless mobile payment is high amongst Singapore consumers (about 89%) and over half indicated interest to try this new payment method. We believe the security, privacy and convenience Apple Pay brings will appeal to all our customers, especially those who are also active users of our digital banking services,” he said.

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  • Singapore Airlines records low passenger numbers on Canberra flights

    Singapore Airlines records low passenger numbers on Canberra flights

    Singapore Airlines struggled to fill its planes in the first week it flew between Canberra and Wellington in New Zealand, data has revealed.

    The International Airline Activity report by the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development showed, on average, each of the six flights from Wellington to Canberra in September held just 94 passengers.

    The Boeing 777 has 266 seats, meaning there was an average passenger load factor of just 35 per cent.

    The Singapore to Canberra to Wellington rotation runs four times a week, with the first flight touching down in Canberra on September 21.

    According to the report, the carrier’s strongest performing route was a direct service between Canberra and Singapore which was 68 per cent full.

    In September, Singapore Airlines started the first direct international flights to the Australian capital in more than a decade.

    It followed a long-fought campaign by the ACT Government and the Canberra Airport to attract carriers to the city.

    The activity report shows Canberrans were more eager to leave the city than outsiders were to visit the capital.

    A total of 1,421 passengers flew into Canberra on the 12 flights from Singapore and Wellington in September while 1,784 people flew out to those destinations.

    On the 24 Singapore Airlines flights operating in the later part of September, only 13 tonnes of freight left Canberra, with no freight recorded entering the ACT.

    The September figures were released as Qatar Airways announced earlier this week plans to start flights to Doha, becoming the Canberra Airport’s second international carrier.

    Today FlyPelican also announced it would launch regional flights connecting Canberra and Dubbo 10 times a week from next month.

    The October figures for international flights have not yet been released.

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  • SPH Reit keen on Seletar Mall

    SPH Reit keen on Seletar Mall

    Shareholders at the SPH Reit annual general meeting yesterday asked if the real estate investment trust sponsored by media group Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) would add Seletar Mall to its portfolio.

    The threat of online shopping was among other queries during the 90-minute meeting.

    In response, chairman Leong Horn Kee said the Reit is always on the lookout for accretive yield.

    He said the Reit, whose portfolio comprises Paragon and The Clementi Mall, is interested in Seletar Mall, which is now owned by SPH, but the question is when SPH wants to sell it and, more importantly, at what price.

    As for the rise of online shopping and e-commerce, 
Dr Leong said that while this trend is getting more prominent, brick-and-mortar stores are still relevant, given that consumers still prefer to feel and look at the actual product before purchase.

    In his opening remarks, 
Dr Leong also said that the retail environment remains challenging amid the economic slowdown in Singapore and the uncertainties of the global environment.

    “Consumers’ sentiment is muted. Retailers are also facing structural impediments such as labour constraints and competition from e-commerce,” said Dr Leong.

    He added that the Reit would continue to seek chances to create value and strengthen long-term sustainability of the properties.

    About 150 shareholders attended the meeting and all resolutions raised were passed.

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  • McDonald’s sells Singapore, Malaysian franchise to Saudi group

    McDonald’s sells Singapore, Malaysian franchise to Saudi group

    McDonald’s said on Friday it had sold the franchise rights for its restaurants in Singapore and Malaysia to Saudi Arabia’s Lionhorn Pte Ltd as part of a plan to move away from direct ownership in Asia.

    The fast-food chain said it transferred its ownership interest in 390 restaurants, more than 80 per cent of which were company-owned, on Dec. 1 to Lionhorn.

    Lionhorn is led by Sheik Fahd and Abdulrahman Alireza, who are franchisees for nearly 100 McDonald’s restaurants in the western and southern regions of Saudi Arabia.

    McDonald’s did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.

    Reuters reported in October that McDonald’s was nearing a deal worth up to $400 million to franchise the outlets to Reza group, which also owns and operates McDonald’s outlets in the western and southern regions of Saudi Arabia.

    The Lionhorn deal is in line with McDonald’s plans to bring in partners in Asia as it switches to a less capital-intensive franchise model.

    The company said it has now franchised about 1,300 outlets as a part of its target to become 95 per cent franchised by the end of 2018.

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  • AirAsia now flies to Taipei and Singapore from Cebu

    AirAsia now flies to Taipei and Singapore from Cebu

    Cebu skies are painted red with the twin launch of AirAsia flights to Taipei and Singapore from Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA). AirAsia Flight Z2 7124 to Taipei departed at 6:10 a.m. while flight Z2 7236 to Singapore left Cebu at 4:55 p.m. Both flights last Nov. 25 were given a water salute upon departure.

    Philippines AirAsia’s director for flight operations Captain Monreal Gomer said at the send-off ceremonies held at the airport: “AirAsia’s twin launches today herald brighter, bigger and better opportunities for travel, business and tourism. It also means more job opportunities, more income for families, more food on the table and more economic activities.”

    “As a Filipino low cost carrier and member of the AirAsia Group which is the leading and largest low cost carrier in Asia, we feel strongly about supporting the growth and development of cities outside Metro Manila by connecting Cebu to international destinations like Singapore, Taipei, Korea, Malaysia and onto AirAsia’s over 120 destinations across Asean, Asia, India, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and Africa via fly-thru service,” Gomer said.

    AirAsia’s Cebu-Singapore flights operate four times weekly while Cebu-Taipei is scheduled three times weekly. Aside from these new routes, the world’s best low-cost airline is also servicing direct flights to Incheon/Seoul in Korea and Kuala Lumpur.

    All guests on board AirAsia’s maiden flights to Taipei and Singapore received an early Christmas gift wrapped in iconic red paper from AirAsia flight crew as soon as they boarded their flights. Sinulog dancers also welcomed arriving and departing guests with send-off ceremonies led by executives from MCIA, the Department of Tourism, Singapore Tourism Board and AirAsia.

  • Singapore banks lose up to 40 per cent of new product sales to competitors

    Singapore banks lose up to 40 per cent of new product sales to competitors

    The latest survey by management consulting firm Bain & Company found that Singapore retail banks lose up to 40 per cent of new product sales to competitors that are better at digital marketing, sales and service.

    In its seventh annual report on consumer banking behaviours, the consultancy said such “hidden defection” of consumers – purchasing a new banking product from a competing bank or financial technology firm – could get worse.

    “There are a lot of customers who frankly consider themselves prisoners in their own banks. They don’t switch their primary bank because it’s too much hassle to do so. But they’re going to go elsewhere for any new needs,” said Ms Chew Seow-Chien, partner and head of Bain’s Financial Services practice in Southeast Asia.

    The survey polled more than 137,000 consumers in 21 countries, including Singapore.

    The Singaporean customers polled indicated that they would buy new banking products from a competitor rather than their primary bank up to 40 percent of the time.

    About 30 per cent of them said they would switch their primary bank if it were easy to do so, the research showed.

    Bain noted that fintechs and technology companies are siphoning off customers seeking high-value products and services, such as credit cards, loans, insurance and investments.

    In its research, the consultancy found that deposits made up about 50 per cent of purchases from primary banks in Singapore over the last 12 months, versus just 22 per cent at competing banks.

    Meanwhile, insurance were the most purchased product at competing banks – 31 per cent of purchases – followed closely by credit cards.

    As younger, more plugged-in generations learn how to bank, their purchases of banking products through digital channels, especially online, will rise – making it important for banks to improve their digital offerings, simplify products lines and streamline user experiences.

    “By now, the digital disruption in banking should come as no surprise, and most banks clearly understand the importance of digital migration,” said Ms Chew.

    “The bigger challenge lies in how to organise the transition and instill the necessary changes, both at the frontline and in the back office, to improve how consumers do their banking.”

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  • Singapore’s new tallest building a ‘vertical city’

    Singapore’s new tallest building a ‘vertical city’

    Singapore’s canyon of skyscrapers has a new peak with the opening of the Tanjong Pagar Centre on the fringes of the central business district, sitting atop one of the wealth city state’s busiest train stations.

    The complex, dubbed a “vertical city”, marks the revival for an area of the business core of Singapore, about a kilometre away from the three soaring burnt-glass coloured towers at the Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC) complex built on land reclaimed from the sea and adjacent to the Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino.

    With office, retail, residence, hotel, fitness, and even an urban park, the new complex will be home to more than 150,000 square feet of green community space. The Tanjong Pagar site at 290 metres high pips its nearest rivals by just 10 metres, with three other building in Singapore at 280 metres high, One Raffles Place, UOB Plaza One and Republic Plaza.

    But it comes at a time that Singapore’s office and retail vacancy rates are rising and online shopping gathers pace with the arrival of a Singapore-based unit of China’s massive e-commerce firm Alibaba and the expected launch of new services by U.S.-based Amazon.

    “The approach of an integrated development solves the congestion problem so that we minimise travels. It also helps people do more things within the same location,” Cheng Hsing Yah, Managing Director of GuocoLand Singapore told CNBC Asia during a tour of the property.

    The towers promise 32-per cent in energy savings compared to similar code-compliant buildings by using glazing and directional shading which reduces the sun’s glare from Singapore’s year-round tropical climate.

    The project – which includes nearly 30 floors of office space–comes to market at a time when Singapore’s office vacancies has hit its highest levels in more than four years and been on its longest stretch of declines since the financial crisis.

    “The market has been challenging in terms of the leasing, because of the economic situation as well as the supply, but we’re quire fortunate to experience a very strong tick up rate of our office as well as our retail and f-and-b (food and beverage)space,” Cheng said.

    Guoco says office space for Tanjong Pagar Centre is already more than 85-per cent leased and the retail space is more than 90-per cent. Still, there are no signs of inventory slowing down.

    Next year, Marina One, adjacent to MBFC, is expected to open, which will bring nearly 2-million square feet of space to market, and Singapore’s government is reportedly selling prime land in the Marina Bay financial district, making it the first such sale in nine years.

    Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.

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  • New technologies to enable greater supply chain efficiencies in Singapore

    New technologies to enable greater supply chain efficiencies in Singapore

     

    Singapore is set to enjoy greater supply chain efficiencies in near future, thanks to the Urban Logistics technology roadmap for 2020 that was unveiled by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) on 28 November 2016.

    The roadmap includes the testing and implementation of new technologies in 12 additional retail malls in Singapore next year.

    The Urban Logistics programme is dedicated to analysing challenges in the logistics sector, identify technologies that can significantly improve Singapore’s supply chain processes, and improve efficiencies.

    2020’s gameplan will address different stages of the urban logistics process, outlining requirements that ensure the Urban Logistics solutions, systems and processes are interoperable, and remain open for interested industry players to adopt and/or adapt.

    This will also help optimise resources, as well as improve turnaround times and process efficiencies.

    Dynamic scheduling

    IMDA’s technology roadmap also includes steps that enable dynamic scheduling to accommodate early or late arrivals as well as complex algorithms to manage increasingly larger volumes of deliveries.

    A unique In-Mall Distribution model of delivery management establishes an in-mall operator to receive goods at the mall unloading bay. This model is designed to improve current delivery/acceptance processes and reduce congestion of delivery vehicles leading to the unloading bay.

    Moreover, this model also enables Singapore’s malls to have extended hours of delivery/acceptance operations, and foster greater automation, professionalism and security of such services.

    “Since the implementation of the In-Mall Distribution solution at Tampines Mall and Bedok Mall in June and September respectively, we have noticed an easing of road congestion around our malls as the queuing time for delivery trucks reduces,” said Teresa Teow, head of Retail Management, Singapore, CapitaLand Mall Asia. “This has resulted in greater efficiency for the different parties along the delivery chain and a better experience for all visitors who drive to our malls, including shoppers.”

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