Singapore builds massive seawall for world’s largest automated port

Singapore is undertaking one of the world’s largest marine engineering projects as it develops Tuas Port, which is expected to become the largest fully automated port.

At the heart of the project is a vast seawall designed to protect and support the reclaimed land on which the new port is being built. Engineers are installing hundreds of enormous concrete structures on the seabed to form the barrier.

Each concrete unit is roughly as tall as a 10-story building. Once positioned together, they create a retaining wall that encloses and stabilizes the marine area needed for Singapore’s next generation of port infrastructure.

Work began in 2014 with dredging and land reclamation along the coast. Since then, Singapore has steadily expanded its available waterfront area to accommodate the new port complex.

A port built for the future

Once completed, Tuas Port will cover approximately 1,337 hectares, an area equivalent to more than 3,000 soccer fields.

The complex will have 66 berths and around 26 kilometers of quay, with infrastructure designed to accommodate the world’s largest containerships.

Tuas is expected to handle as many as 65 million TEUs a year. A TEU, or twenty-foot equivalent unit, is the standard measure used to express container capacity.

Construction relies on enormous concrete structures known as marine caissons. The units are lowered into position on the seabed and partially filled to secure them in place.

Together, they form a seawall that will extend for around 17.7 kilometers across some stages of the development.

Artificial intelligence to oversee port operations

Tuas Port will stand out not only for its size, but also for the technology built into its operations.

The complex will use automated systems, artificial intelligence, electric cranes and autonomous vehicles to move containers between vessels and storage yards.

A remote operations center is expected to oversee much of the activity. Singapore aims to use the technology to lower costs, improve efficiency and accelerate the movement of cargo through the port.

The full project is scheduled for completion in 2040. Once fully operational, Tuas Port is expected to further strengthen Singapore’s position as a major global logistics hub and a strategic center for international maritime trade.

Source: Diário do Litoral

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