I am very happy to be here this morning, to open the 2^nd International Conference and Exhibition on Electronic Chart Display and Information System or ECDIS. First, let me extend a very warm welcome to our special guests, conference speakers and delegates. I hope the visiting delegates will be able to find time to explore our many attractions, and enjoy the diverse culinary delights that Singapore is so well known for.

The first ECDIS Conference which Singapore held in 1998 was a milestone of sorts. It was the first international conference held in Asia to focus exclusively on ECDIS. That Conference was held only two years after Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority partnered the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office to promote the use of ECDIS and Electronic Navigational Charts, under the SHARED Programme.

Since then, MPA has been working hard to promote the use of ECDIS and Electronic Navigational Charts in our region. The SHARED Programme has also grown, and it now boasts an international grouping of more than 10 countries, including Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, United Kingdom and the USA. The SHARED Programme has also developed links with other Regional Hydrographic Commissions in the South-west Pacific, the Caribbean and Europe to promote the use of ECDIS and the development of official electronic chart data worldwide.

This second ECDIS Conference builds on what has been achieved since that inaugural Conference five years ago. This year’s Conference theme, "ECDIS – For Coastal and Ocean Navigation", highlights the importance and diverse use of ECDIS for navigation in different types of waters.

ECDIS is a powerful, electronic navigational system that is particularly useful in confined and shallow waters with high traffic density. With ECDIS, the watch-keeper has convenient access to all the pertinent information required for safe navigation. With the radar picture superimposed on the electronic chart, the watch-keeper can promptly make course alterations while taking into consideration the navigational hazards in his proximity. And with the provision of anti-collision warnings, mariners are made aware of impending dangers and hazards early. This has helped to improve navigational safety and reduce the number of maritime incidents and the loss of lives at sea.

ECDIS also plays a useful role in enabling mariners to chart and keep their course in busy waterways such as the Malacca and Singapore Straits. Everyday, about 800 ships pass through the Malacca and Singapore Straits. Traversing these waters can sometimes be a challenge. ECDIS will, I am sure, help to ease some of that burden. I am, therefore, glad that the littoral states along the Malacca and Singapore Straits have embarked on several initiatives to make navigating in this region much safer. For example, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan and Singapore have jointly produced the Electronic Navigational Charts covering the Malacca and Singapore Straits. Indonesia and Singapore have also completed the Electronic Navigational Charts for the ferry routes between Singapore and the Indonesian islands of Bintan, Batam and Karimun. I look forward to more such collaborations with our friends in this region.

Technology has changed the port and maritime sector in myriad ways. Navigational safety is one area that has benefited from these advances. Over the years, the MPA has leveraged on the use of technology to enhance navigational safety in our waters and in the approaches to the Singapore port. For example, the Vessel Traffic Information System, which uses a suite of radars and electro-optic devices to do real-time monitoring of traffic movement, enables traffic advisories to be broadcast to ships in the Singapore Strait. MPA has also put in place the Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) broadcasting facilities, Electronic Navigational Charts and transponder base stations for the Automatic Identification System (AIS).

Investing in technology is an important investment for the future. In Singapore, we are familiar with the large, multi-national companies that have contributed to the success of Singapore’s port and maritime sector. These include PSA Corp, and the large shipping companies that base their operations as well as call here – NOL, P&O NedLoyd, Cosco, K Line, Hanjin, Samudera – just to name a few. However, much less has been said of the over 2,000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in this sector, which have also contributed to Singapore’s economy and to the success of our port. These SMEs provide a whole range of services. They include ship management companies, shipping agencies, hauliers, bunker suppliers, bunker craft operators, towage companies, ferry & launch operators and ship chandlers. For these smaller companies, the question often asked is : How can technology work for them?

For SMEs, the use of technology can transform the way in which they work, by making them more productive and cost efficient, and in the process, helping them to retain their competitiveness. The use of IT, in particular, will help SMEs to link up with critical industry systems such as Portnet, Tradenet and Marinet for submission of information to the terminal operators and MPA. To further increase the benefits, SMEs can also employ IT to develop an efficient backend system to manage their operational planning and supply chain management.

However, a critical factor inhibiting SMEs from capitalising more on the power of IT is the perceived high cost of IT infrastructure. Many also lack sufficient financial and manpower resources. Despite this, SMEs in the maritime cluster are aware that because the cluster is inter-linked and inter-dependent, upgrading their IT capabilities will not only streamline their own operational processes, but would also create a synergistic network effect in the cluster. This, in turn, will boost the profile and competitiveness of the maritime industry as a whole.

To help SMEs upgrade, MPA will establish a $20 million Maritime SME IT Upgrading Programme over the next five years to help maritime SMEs invest in IT for their business operations on a co-funding basis. SMEs can tap on the Programme to install new technology like ECDIS and AIS transponders on board their ships. They can also link up their IT systems with those of their customers, partners and suppliers. Maritime SMEs can also develop and implement new IT and e-commerce systems to reduce business costs, enhance their business processes, provide better customer service, and reach out to new markets. All these will help strengthen the competitiveness of our SMEs, and equip them with the necessary competencies for the future. I encourage all maritime SMEs to actively tap into the resources in this Programme and use IT to link up with the rest of the industry in all their business processes.

This Conference presents an opportunity for delegates and conference speakers to network and have a frank exchange of views. It also enables participants to see first-hand the latest developments on ECDIS and Electronic Navigational Charts from around the world. I have no doubt that all of you will benefit from the papers and presentations, as well as the engaging discussions and exchanges you will have at this Conference. With that, it is now my pleasure to declare the 2^nd International ECDIS Conference and Exhibition open.