SINGAPORE, Oct 19, 2024– EKH Pte Ltd. (“Eng Kong” or the “Company”, and together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”), one of Asia-Pacific’s largest shipping container depot operators, has installed and customised Singapore’s first automated container seal dispenser systems to fit their depot’s Container Management Systems (CMS) systems.
The Group intends to expand the system to its other three Singapore depots by 1Q2025 and eventually its mega depot 3Q2026. Eng Kong’s mega depot, spanning 80,000 square metres, will be Singapore’s largest depot. The system will have significant productivity, safety and manpower advantages compared to traditional methods.
Container seals are required to prevent theft and unauthorized access to the container contents. Previously, the seal collection process was highly manual, administrative and time-consuming, taking an average of 30 minutes before drivers could obtain seals.
Eng Kong’s wholly owned subsidiary, Eng Kong Container Agencies Pte Ltd, has installed and customised Singapore’s first fully automated seal dispenser system which has helped cut collection time by half. The system is fully localized for Eng Kong’s depots, ensuring seamless integration with their current logistics infrastructure.
Drivers now follow a seamless and safer flow, and no longer need to disembark their vehicles – much like a drive through. Upon entering the depot, time-consuming procedures are now eased up with the use Automated Gate Registration, Acceptance and Payment Functions with the use of Depot Appointment Information and Licensed Plate Recognition (LTR) Licensed Plate Recognition (LPR) technology and a cashless payment system. The driver then collects and quality-checks the container and seals at the automated seal dispenser.
Labour shortage pressures could be further eased through automation, drivers will be able to transport more containers, and administrative staff could be trained for more strategic positions.
In Singapore, a total of 39.01 million TEUs were processed in 2023(1). At Eng Kong’s domestic depots, the introduction of automated seal dispensers is expected to significantly boost efficiency. As each minute saved per container adds up significantly, it has been estimated that this new initiative can save up to an estimated 50,000 of man-hours per annum for the entire process from the time the driver arrives, processing, mounting the containers and collecting the seal from the dispenser machine near the entrance. These time savings will enable for reskilling the staff to other job opportunities, enhancing workforce capabilities and booth the driver(s) earning, while increase efficiency.
Additionally, Singapore’s handling capacity is expected to double once the PSA Tuas Port is completed in 2040(2). Traffic congestion around busy depots will be eased and safety for drivers improved as they no longer alight their vehicles. Labour shortage pressures could be further eased through automation, drivers will be able to transport more containers, and administrative staff could be trained for more strategic positions.
Paul Ng, Co-Chairman of Eng Kong said, “As one of Singapore’s largest depot operators, we are committed to improving operational efficiency, reducing manual labour dependency and improving the safety of our depots. As Singapore’s depots transition to Tuas, which is set to be the world’s largest automated port, investing in automated solutions will allow Eng Kong to remain at the forefront of this digital transformation. The world is watching Singapore and depot operators have a role to play in embracing technology and integrating advanced solutions, driving progress across the industry.”