BY early 2008, all ships in Singpaore can have access to mobile wireless broadband, allowing real-time and data-intensive communciations between the ships and their customers and business partners.

Thanks to Wiseport (Wireless-broadband-access for Seaport), activities that could only be done onshore previously can now be achieved offshore as well, from regulatory filings, to broadband communications, to real-time access to navigational data.

Wiseport is one of the initial projects under the Infocomm@SeaPort programme, which aims to provide a mobile wireless broadband network within 15km from Singapore's southern coastline. It will provide a low-cost, high-bandwidth and secure access.

The programme was launched on Wednesday morning by Mr Raymond Lim, Minister of Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the opening of the 2nd International Maritime - Port Technology and Development Conference.

The programme is a collaboration between the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA).

The two agencies will jointly set aside $12 million for the programme, which aims to catalyse business transformation and operational excellence in the port community through the use of innovative infocomm technologies.

Several initial projects have already been identified under the programme - conducting trials in the use of infocomm to enhance and optimise the car transhipment planning and operations, and automating some of the current labour-intensive processes in the bunker supply chain.

Later this year, MPA and IDA will jointly initiate a Call-for-collaboration (CFC) to develop new WISEPORT content and software applications for the seaport community.

These content and applications could range from messaging services that allow ships to communicate more cost-effectively with other parties, to applications that allow ships to book maritime services through the high-speed network.

BG (NS) Tay Lim Heng, Chief Executive Officer, MPA said: 'The Infocomm@SeaPort programme will extend our current efforts to develop and promote the use of industry-wide infocomm technology systems. We hope that the maritime community will capitalise on this advanced port infocomm infrastructure to improve their operations further and also to generate new business areas in Singapore.'