In the current digital world, many industries are leveraging on big data to improve their businesses such as providing seamless and convenient experience, consumer centric and improving productivity etc. In transport, big data can play a huge role such as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), Autonomous Vehicle deployment, Electric Vehicle deployment, Next Generation Electronic Road Pricing, etc. A comprehensive MaaS application to help commuters plan their journey seamlessly in terms of time saving, cost saving, or improved comfort level must be created to encourage commuting via public transport. Road congestion is a common problem faced in every city in both developed or developing city. MaaS can help to influence commuters to take public transport or even shift the transport mode if it can demonstrate value add in their daily commute. Proper MaaS business model should be customised for that market, and it can be treated as one of the initiatives under a Smart City Plan. This paper examines how big data in MaaS can shed light in commuters’ travel behaviour and even influence the pattern. We also discuss the different roles undertaken in this ecosystem – such as the government, operators and service providers.
KTP’s 3D structural analysis model (left) of the building, and the hotel as it stands (right). Photo credit: Oasia Hotel.
Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore has been named the Best Tall Building Worldwide, standing tall next to past title winners such as Sydney’s One Central Park and Beijing’s CCTV Headquarters. KTP, a member of the Surbana Jurong Group was the civil & structural consultant for this project.
Awarded by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), the win comes after the building was selected as Best Tall Building Asia & Australasia at the Tall and Urban Innovation Conference held on 31 May in Chicago. CTBUH is a non-profit international body that recognises achievements in the advancement of tall buildings and the urban environment, and sustainability at the highest and broadest levels.
The 193.3m, 27-storey-high building was designed to be supported on a highly innovative and unique structural transfer system which enabled an intensified use of stacked spaces of offices, hotel and club rooms at different vertical strata. It also incorporates “skyspaces” uniquely designed with additional open-sided “ground” levels throughout.
In this geometrically challenging design, the team performed sophisticated and rigorous engineering analysis, ensuring the construction buildability and overall long-term behaviour were accounted for.
The Oasia Hotel Downtown Singapore won not only because it incorporated 60 stories of green walls along the exterior, but because of its significant commitment to communal space. The tower has also allocated over 40 per cent of its volume to open air communal terraces in the sky.
The realisation of this highly complex structural form is a testament to our unwavering commitment from our engineers who persistently pushed boundaries of innovation while firmly guided by first principles of structural engineering.
Map detailing the road and bridge upgrades involved in the South Australian project, which represents the first major transport design project undertaken by RBG as Lead Designer.
Robert Bird Group (RBG), a member of the Surbana Jurong Group, has been engaged as engineering designer for the design component of the Design and Construct contract of the Regional Bridge and Lobethal Freight Route Upgrade in Adelaide, South Australia.
This is the first project RBG will undertake for the South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure in the transport space, and represents the first major transport design project undertaken by the practice as Lead Designer.
The contract involves the replacement of six regional bridges, crash barrier upgrades on seven bridges on the Sturt Highway, and upgrading the Lobethal Freight Route. RBG’s tender design was comprehensive and found that the reference designs included in the tender documents did not achieve the government’s objectives. As part of the tender process, RBG provided advice to the contractor that allowed the development of a roadmap to reduce the contractual sum to fit the government’s budget.
RBG’s scope of work includes structural engineering, highway and road design, geotechnical engineering and road safety auditing and certification with the latter specialist services being subcontracted.
The project is scheduled for completion in mid-2019, with the possibility of additional works being added.
The agreement was signed between Teo Eng Cheong, CEO International (Singapore, Southeast Asia, North Asia) of Surbana Jurong and Leonard Oh, Executive Chairman of MOSB.
Yangon, 25 January 2018 – Surbana Jurong Myanmar (SJ) and MOSB Ltd. (MOSB) have signed an agreement to design an Offshore Supply Base (OSB) in Mon State. The agreement was signed between Teo Eng Cheong, Chief Executive Officer International (Singapore, Southeast Asia, North Asia) of Surbana Jurong Private Limited and Leonard Oh, Executive Chairman of MOSB Ltd.
The oil and gas industry is an important and fast-growing industry in Myanmar, contributing 23.6% of Myanmar’s total revenue. MOSB received approval from the Myanmar Investment Commission in July 2017 to construct and operate an OSB in Mon state.
Under this agreement, SJ will be providing engineering and marine consultancy, Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) study and project management to support MOSB in the development of this OSB. SJ will leverage its global experience and sterling track record in the Oil & Gas (O&G) sector to support MOSB’s vision of a fully integrated facility that will provide total logistics solutions to O&G customers, while at the same time improve the infrastructure in the region.
Mr Leonard Oh, Executive Chairman of MOSB said, “We are very pleased to sign this agreement with Surbana Jurong, as we are confident that with the expertise and experience of Surbana Jurong, our base will be meeting international standards in design. By working together, we can create a much greater impact to further develop the local and national economy. The development of the OSB will in turn, assist to empower the local community through the support of both infrastructure and social needs.”
Mr Wong Heang Fine, Group Chief Executive Officer of Surbana Jurong Private Limited, said “Surbana Jurong is proud to contribute our expertise to support the burgeoning oil & gas industry in Myanmar, an important economic contributor to the nation. Backed by our track record and capabilities, we are able to offer unique complete value chain services from feasibility studies and concept design to engineering and construction supervisory, across a diverse range of infrastructure projects globally. On the oil & gas front, we played a crucial role in the successful development of Singapore’s Jurong Island Petrochemical Hub and Jurong Rock Caverns, Southeast Asia’s first underground rock cavern for oil storage. We will leverage our global experience for the success of this project, to add another milestone to both MOSB and Surbana Jurong’s history.”
As part of Surbana Jurong’s continued efforts to support Myanmar in its growth journey, the company will be awarding scholarships to three top students from Mandalay Technological University. Surbana Jurong Myanmar will also be organising its inaugural Infrastructure Forum on 26 January in Yangon, bringing together regional industry experts to explore topics centred around the outlook of Myanmar Infrastructure market, funding options as well as technical knowledge sharing.
Both SJ and MOSB are committed to the growth of Myanmar and to supporting the communities.
The establishment of a supply base will support the fast-growing oil and gas industry in Myanmar and further advance the industry by reducing travel distances and increasing efficiency.
About MOSB
MOSB Ltd. company represents a joint venture between Two Fish Supply Base Limited of Myanmar and 2 Fish (SG) Pte Ltd of Singapore. MOSB is 80% owned by 2Fish (SG) Pte Ltd of Singapore. This is another effort by Singapore companies to create a joint effort to assist with the growth of the Myanmar economy. MOSB is a specific purpose company to own and operate the offshore supply base (“OSB”) or to appoint a third party to operate the OSB.
About Surbana Jurong Private Limited
Surbana Jurong Private Limited (SJ) is one of the largest Asia-based urban, industrial and infrastructure consulting firms. Leveraging technology and creativity, SJ provides one-stop consultancy solutions across the entire value chain of the urbanisation, industrialisation and infrastructure domains.
Headquartered in Singapore, the SJ Group has a global workforce of 13,500 employees in 122 offices across 44 countries in Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas and United Kingdom.
SJ has a track record of over 50 years, and has built more than a million homes in Singapore, crafted master plans for more than 30 countries and planned over 100 industrial parks globally.
About the Surbana Jurong Scholarship Programme
The scholarship programme by SJ has been active in Myanmar since 2014 where five scholars from Yangon Technology received the scholarship and all of them are working in Surbana Jurong Myanmar office now. This year, the SJ scholarships were granted to the top students from Mandalay Technological University.
Surbana Jurong has been making steady inroads into Myanmar, with project wins that demonstrate its wide-ranging capabilities from master planning and infrastructure design to coastal engineering.
Breakthrough achievements include:
First jetty design project in Thilawa, 14km southeast of Yangon
Master-planning project in southern Myanmar’s Mon State, the 12th largest state in the country
Infrastructure design work for a 17.6-acre mixed-use development in the Dagon Seikkan Township
Engineering design services for the existing Yangon-Mandalay highway.
1. Thilawa jetty design
The SJ Myanmar team has won its first jetty design project in Thilawa, located 14km southeast of Yangon. The team was appointed as the engineering design consultant for the construction of a new 200m jetty platform with trestle for Denko Trading, which runs gas stations across the country. The win was attributed to the perseverance of Myanmar’s Business Development team as well as exceptional support and expertise from Singapore’s Coastal Engineering team.
Considering Myanmar’s extensive river network system, this success is expected to widen opportunities for the team in the Marine and Coastal Engineering sector.
Aerial view of SJ Myanmar’s design for Denko Jetty
2. Master-planning project in Mon State
Extending its footprint beyond Yangon, the Myanmar team secured a master planning project in southern Myanmar’s Mon State, the 12th largest state in the country. The team has actively pursued opportunities in the state for the past two years.
The team will provide a master plan for seven plots of land with a total land area of around 1,000 acres. Comprising residential, commercial, recreational and other amenities, it will be a holistic environment to work, live and play in. The planning will be done in five phases.
The proposed mixed-used development plan in Mon State
3. Infrastructure design work in the Dagon Seikkan Township
This is one of two infrastructure projects in the Yangon region recently awarded by the Shwe Taung Group. Said Lee Leong Seng, General Manager of Surbana Jurong Myanmar, “The continued support from Shwe Taung is a testament of the team’s prompt project delivery and ability to pull together relevant resources across SJ Group’s regional and functional groups to provide value-added services to the client.”
The zoning plan of the 17.5-acre development in Dagon Seikkan
The team was tasked to provide infrastructure design work for a 17.6-acre mixed-use development in the Dagon Seikkan Township. As SJ is the master planner of the township, this new downstream opportunity demonstrates the Group’s ability to offer one-stop full-suite solutions. The scope of work includes planning and design of the following infrastructure:
Road network
Electricity power supply network
Street lighting network
Telecommunication manholes and piping network
Water supply system
Fire hydrant system
Stormwater drainage system
Wastewater and sewerage system
4. Engineering design services for the Yangon-Mandalay highway
This is the second of two infrastructure projects in the Yangon region recently awarded by the Shwe Taung Group. SMEC International’s Transport Team will undertake the engineering design services of the existing Yangon-Mandalay highway in two separate parts. This first is a financial feasibility study to evaluate if the road widening project will be commercially viable for the Shwe Taung Development. The second is a design and constructability study, to evaluate existing road designs with regards to constructability and to improve the lifespan and resilience of the current road.
The study will take an estimated four months. Maung Maung Kyaw Thar, Country Manager, SMEC Myanmar, notes that the win will put SMEC in a good position to pursue similar transport consultancy services for the rest of the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) road project in Myanmar.
Said Lee Leong Seng, General Manager of Surbana Jurong Myanmar, “The hard work of the team, who has been in relentless pursuit of new opportunities within and outside of Yangon, has paid off. Our recent project wins are the result of our strong foundation in building the SJ brand in Myanmar and accumulative track record both locally and overseas.”
Mr Teo Eng Cheong (fifth from left), CEO International of SJ, presenting a bouquet to Mdm Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Chairman of Sovico Holdings, at the signing ceremony
Surbana Jurong (SJ) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Phu Long Real Estate Joint-Stock Corporation (Phu Long) to collaborate on township and property development in Vietnam. Phu Long is a subsidiary of Sovico Holdings, one of Vietnam’s leading investment groups in the aviation, banking, finance, real estate and industrial sectors.
SJ will provide expertise in the areas of master planning, design services, coastal engineering and project management to Phu Long’s projects.
The MOU was signed by Mr Teo Eng Cheong, SJ’s CEO International (Singapore, North Asia, South-east Asia) and Mr Nguyen Thanh Quang, Phu Long’s Chairman. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Teo said, “We are proud to be one of Phu Long’s strategic partners. Our local knowledge, coupled with global experience, allows us to assist Phu Long in achieving the goal as one of Vietnam’s largest property developers.”
The MOU signing ceremony was also attended by Mdm Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Chairman of Sovico Holdings, and Mr Nguyen Thanh Hung, Founding Chairman of Sovico Holdings. In her speech, Mdm Thao recalled the satisfactory 10-year cooperation between Phu Long and Surbana Jurong and hoped to see more of such collaborations with Surbana Jurong in the company’s plans for the future.
SMEC, member of the Surbana Jurong Group, sanitation project will improve health and living conditions in Arba Minch.
SMEC, member of the Surbana Jurong Group, has been engaged by the Arba Minch Town Municipality in Ethiopia to provide consultancy engineering services to improve sanitation planning and capabilities, as well as to improve the performance of the existing sanitation service chain.
This project is aimed at improving the public health and living conditions in Arba Minch, and will deliver the following key components:
An improved sanitation service chain
Improved sanitation planning and capabilities in Municipality
The project is in accordance with the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework of the One WASH National Program of Ethiopia. The Program brings together four key government ministries and their related sectors to modernise the way water and sanitation services are delivered to people. This project will engage relevant stakeholders in strategic and operational sanitation planning, as well as the delivery of these services within the sanitation service chain. This is aimed at effective and efficient utilisation of financial and human resources for the provision of sustainable sanitation services.
The contract was awarded in July 2017 and the project duration is 24 months, with downstream services being envisaged.
Kang Mi (far right) feels lucky to have a team of supportive colleagues
In Part Two of this feature, we catch up with Kang Mi, an engineer from SJ. She had just completed her Master of Science (Geotechnical Engineering) programme at the National University of Singapore and was awarded the prestigious L & M Geotechnic Medal and Book Prize, as the best graduate student in her class. Let’s see how Kang Mi juggle both work and studies.
Q1. Congratulations on winning the L & M Geotechnic Medal and Book Prize! How does it feel?
Kang Mi: I feel a strong sense of achievement! I am very grateful to my professors, my supervisor and colleagues, as I could not have obtained the award or even made it through the course, without their help and support.
Q2. What were some of the challenges you faced during your Master’s programme?
Kang Mi: It was quite tough pursuing this course, since I needed to find some balance between studies and work. During these two years, I had to work during daytime and go for classes at night. Most of my weekends were spent on finishing assignments and module projects.
Q3. How do you feel about your work at SJ? What is the one thing you like most about your job?
Kang Mi: I feel the work at SJ is very enriching. I joined SJ as a fresh graduate and since then, I have gained a lot of skills, practical experiences and professional knowledge from this job! The one thing I like most about my work is my colleagues. We share, and they guide me along on the job. I also have a good supervisor, who has provided me extensive guidance and help. My department head is also very supportive of professional training and upgrading.
Q4. Please share with us something outside work. What are your likes and dislikes?
Kang Mi: I enjoy swimming, reading novels and discovering nice food. As for my main dislikes, it will be noisy places.
Kang Mi, Engineer, Civil and Structural Engineering Division
Aik Loong (right), with Aaron Foong (centre), KTP Director and Gan Jinn Hao, at the BCA Design Safety and Awards event, for the award-winning Scotts Tower project
It is never easy to juggle both work and studies, but that is precisely what two of our engineers have done, for the past two years. On top of this, they have excelled in their course, passing the exams with flying colours. In this two-part feature, we showcase some of our best and brightest talents in the Surbana Jurong (SJ) family. They are Chew Aik Loong and Kang Mi, who have just completed their Masters programme, at the National University of Singapore.
In Part One of this feature, we catch up with Aik Loong, Principal Engineer from KTP Consultants, who graduated top of his class with the T Y Lin Medal and Book Prize award, as the best graduate student in structural engineering. He was on the BCA-KTP Postgraduate Sponsorship programme for the Master of Science (Civil Engineering) course.
Q1. Could you please provide a quick overview of your role at KTP Consultants?
Aik Loong: My role is that of a civil and structural engineer. My main responsibilities include the running and delivering of a project, coordinating with the various parties to ensure the deliverables are met on time, and civil and structural design work. I have worked at KTP for about five and a half years.
Q2. Congratulations on topping your class and winning the T Y Lin Medal and Book Prize Award! How does it feel?
Aik Loong: I feel happy and satisfied! I recall there are times when people told me that we do not really need to be too “serious” in post-graduate studies, as academic results are no longer relevant to us (since we are already working). However, to me, embarking on post-graduate studies was more like an opportunity to upgrade my skills and knowledge, rather than to strive for academic excellence.
Q3. Was it tough juggling both work and studies?
Aik Loong: There were challenges, especially whenever there was a heavy assignment workload. During the not-so-busy period of my studies, I would try to work overtime at the office a little more, to clear all my tasks. Hence, when the busy academic period started, I would have a lesser workload at the office. Aside from that, I am also lucky and am grateful, to have the understanding and support of both my reporting supervisor and colleagues.
Q4. How do you feel about your work at KTP? What is the one thing you most like about your job?
Aik Loong: For the five and a half years that I have been with KTP, I feel absolutely happy and blessed. I like my job; I have a sense of satisfaction and pride whenever a project is completed, especially those challenging ones. I also feel happy, as I can play a part in building cities and shaping lives.
Q5. How are your colleagues and bosses?
Aik Loong: My boss, Aaron Foong, typically ask us not to address him as “boss”! So I guess I will just address him as a reporting supervisor instead. He is a knowledgeable leader and a good mentor. I feel thankful and am indebted to him, for the mentorship and opportunities provided in my career path. I also have a team of colleagues, who are friendly, understanding and knowledgeable.
Q6. How do you handle stress at work?
Aik Loong: For me, I believe sports help me to release stress. I love swimming and badminton. I particularly like the state of being mentally free when I am swimming. I enjoy concentrating on my overall body’s movement and breathing rhythm, to just swim in the pool, without anything on my mind. To me, this is a kind of meditation, allowing my mind to relax and recharge.
Q7. Please share with us something outside work, such as your likes and dislikes. Any hobbies?
Aik Loong: I like to travel, and indulge in good food, like KFC. I normally hunt for good hawker food during weekends; one of my favourites is the seafood stall at Newton Circus.
I also enjoy surfing the net. My hobbies are badminton and swimming. After work and during weekends, I like to indulge in some sporting activities, surf online and watch TV.
Q8. Any favourite movie and book? And what is your dream holiday destination?
Aik Loong: I seldom watch movies. But a movie that immediately comes to mind, which could be my favourite, is Queen of Katwe. This is a biographical film about the life of Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan girl living in a slum in Katwe, who participated at the World Chess Olympiads. I actually caught this movie on a plane. It is a very inspirational movie, so you should watch it one day! As for books, I love reading but due to my tight schedule, I have not read any for some time. Currently, I do not have any favourite book in mind.
As for my dream holiday destination, I would like to visit Italy one day, and have a tour of Florence, Venice, Rome and the Vatican City. This is because, I am a big fan of Dan Brown, who wrote Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. His books have inspired me to visit Italy!
Q9. One last question. Could you please share with our readers your life mantra or favourite quote?
Aik Loong: It is a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
(Left to right): Dr Abdullah Abdullah, CEO, Government of Afghanistan; Ahmad Massih Hami, Secretary to the CEO; Dr Hamidullah Tarzi, SMEC’s Country Director, Afghanistan; and Mahmoud Baligh, Minister of Public Works, Government of Afghanistan
The Ministry of Public Works (MPW) of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has engaged SMEC, member of the Surbana Jurong, to undertake a feasibility study and detailed engineering design for the rehabilitation and upgrade of the Salang Corridor in Afghanistan.
The Salang Corridor is a major highway which connects capital Kabul with north Afghanistan.
The project will be implemented in two phases:
Phase 1: Feasibility Study and Alignment Recommendation, which will be completed within eight months
Phase 2: Detailed Design, Safeguards, and Procurement, which will last about 16 months
Upon completion, the upgraded Salang Corridor will reduce travel costs as well as improve travel time and reliability for users. It will play a key role in transportation and regional transit in Afghanistan, and improve connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia.
The corridor involves a 2.7 km tunnel which was built in 1964. The tunnel which was then the highest in the world held the record until 1973, when the United States built the Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel in the Rocky Mountains.
Funded by the Asian Development Bank, this project aims to find an alternate route to the Salang Tunnel, which has fallen into a state of severe disrepair after more than 50 years of service. Present conditions within the tunnel not only constrain traffic flow, but are also dangerous to users, because of inadequate ventilation, poor lighting and safety, as well as a failing road surface.
