INDUSTRY NEWS
A*STAR and NUS establish national centre of excellence to advance Singapore’s marine & offshore engineering industry A next-generation Deepwater Ocean Basin research facility at NUS will leverage petascale supercomputing capabilities for integrated physical modelling and numerical simulation. The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the National University of Singapore have established a joint venture to spur research excellence and advance Singapore’s marine & offshore engineering (M&OE) industry. Named the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS), it is also supported by the Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). The launch of the centre on 31 October 2016 was officiated by Mr S. Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry). Through strategic global partnerships with industry, research institutions and academia, TCOMS aims to sustain Singapore’s leadership position in the sector by enabling the local M&OE industry to undertake highervalue activities. “TCOMS is an excellent national platform to facilitate partnerships under an open innovation framework to draw on the strengths of our public sector research performers to develop meaningful industry collaborations locally and beyond. This joint initiative by A*STAR and NUS will position Singapore as a key hub for M&OE research globally,” said Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman of A*STAR. State-of-the-art research capabilities A key feature of TCOMS is a next-generation Deepwater Ocean Basin with forefront simulation capabilities, including smart sensing and integrated physical modelling and numerical simulation. Currently being constructed at NUS, it is scheduled for completion in 2019 and boasts state-of-the art wave and current generation systems that could
Artist’s impression of the TCOMS building at NUS. Image:Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore
(Foreground, left to right) Prof Chan Eng Soon, CEO of TCOMS; Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry); and Prof Tan Chorh Chuan, President of NUS, at the launch of TCOMS. Photo: NUS
simulate harsh ocean environments, including those in ultra-deep waters. This would facilitate the development of innovative concepts including intelligent floating platforms and ships, autonomous systems, marine robotics and subsea systems. Professor Chan Eng Soon, CEO of TCOMS and Provost’s Chair Professor in the Faculty of Engineering, NUS, explained, "A key differentiator in TCOMS is the development of a simulation system featuring the integration of basin modelling, numeri-
cal modelling, smart-sensing, and real time data analytics. “This novel approach will not only enhance the value-added services for the clients, but also unleashes new opportunities to better understand non-linear fluid structure interactions in complex sea states. “It will also pave the way for the development of intelligent systems that would help transform the M&OE industry, especially in the enhancement of efficiency, safety and reliability in harsh environments.”
December 2016 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
09