GLOBAL CONNECTIVITY
Singapore’s Changi Airport is one of Asia’s largest cargo airports and is served by over 6,500 weekly flights connecting to 280 cities in 60 countries, handling close to 2 million tonnes of cargo annually. The country also boasts the world’s busiest transhipment hub, handling about one-seventh of the world's container transhipment throughput or 31.24 million TEUs of containers in 2013. Singapore is connected by 200 shipping lines to 600 ports in 123 countries, with daily sailings to every major port of call in the world. It is also proximate to the world’s major markets, being situated within a seven-hour flight radius to half of the world’s population in Asia Pacific.
Our sea and air ports are readily accessible through a well-planned domestic road network, ensuring that companies based in Singapore are better positioned to serve customers and manage their operating entities, not just in Asia but globally.
SECURE AND TRUSTED LOGISTICS HUB IN SINGAPORE
There is increasing recognition of the need for supply chains to be more resilient and secure as disruptions involving economic volatilities, political unrests and natural disasters have shown the susceptibility of global supply chains. Singapore has stood out as a trusted and reliable supply chain hub through our strong commitment to global and national security initiatives that support successful business operations. These include the streamlining of security regulations and operational procedures to help businesses cope with the adoption of many international customs and security programmes.
Singapore has also been recognised to have highly efficient customs and business-friendly import/export procedures providing companies greater efficiencies in obtaining clearance/documentation/permits for their goods. Efficiencies in information management are evidenced through platforms such as TradeNet, an electronic national single window that provides a one-stop platform simplifying all documentation, saving time, costs and improving efficiency. TradeNet allows traders and freight forwarders to apply for and receive trade permits from 35 controlling agencies for the purpose of import, export and transshipment of goods.
WORLD CLASS INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCED WITH SPECIALISED LOGISTICS CAPABILITIES
Two broader industry trends suggest that many of the global transport and logistics leaders of the future will come from Asia. First is the long-term shift in trade and investment from the West to the East, which will provide ever more opportunities for growth in the region across all segments. There will be further consolidation in the sector, as firms grow to reap scale efficiencies and improve their cross-border capabilities. Second is Asia’s early advantage in low-cost competition and “frugal engineering” (a product design approach that emphasises using the bare minimum of resources to create basic, no-frills products).
Home to a diverse range of industries with different needs and specialities, Singapore is well-positioned to help logistics companies build on our manufacturing leadership, innovate to differentiate themselves and develop greater expertise in higher value services to keep ahead. Established infrastructure is necessary to support the growth and successes of logistics companies in serving the distinctive needs of various industries. To that end, Singapore provides world-class specialised infrastructure including the Airport Logistics Park of Singapore (ALPS) in the airport’s free-trade zone, the Changi International LogisPark which facilitates regional distribution and the Banyan LogisPark on Jurong Island which caters to the specific demands of chemicals and oil companies.