SPEECH BY MR LEE YI SHYAN,
MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AT THE OPENING
OF NIPPON EXPRESS SINGAPORE’S NEW FACILITY
IN THE AIRPORTLOGISTICSPARK
OF SINGAPORE
ON 23 FEBRUARY
2007 AT 1000HRS
Mr Jiro Nakamura,
Regional
Managing Director, Nippon
Express
Mr Takao Miyamoto,
Managing
Director, Nippon
Express
Singapore
Distinguished
Guests,
Ladies and
Gentlemen,
Thank you for
inviting me to witness the official opening of Nippon Express
Singapore’s new facility in the Airport Logistics Park of
Singapore, or ALPS.
This marks a further deepening of the partnership between Nippon
Express and Singapore.
Strong Growth in Singapore’s Logistics
Industry
As manufacturing operations grow in Asia, the logistics
outsourcing market in the region is expected to reach $US80 billion
by 2012, averaging double digit growth in the next 4 years. In
Singapore, we see a similar growth
trend.
The logistics
sector has always been a key part of Singapore’s
economy. It is critical to us both
as an industry and as an enabler.As an industry, it accounts for over 8% of our GDP and employs over
100,000 workers. Our efficient logistics industry also
boosts the competitiveness of our manufacturers and traders by
reducing the cost of moving goods
around.
Today, more
than half of the world’s top 25 Third-Party Logistics companies
(3PLs) have set up significant operations in Singapore.
We also have the leading chemical logistics players in Singapore
such as Vopak, Katoen Natie and
Oiltanking.
Singapore Aims
to be a Highly Efficient Node & Control Centre for Companies’
Global Supply Chains
With
globalisation, supply chains have become ever more complex and
extended. Logistics players are now competing on end-to-end supply
chain solutions. To help logistics companies stay
competitive, Singapore
will continue
to strive to be a highly efficient node and control centre for
global supply chains. To this end, we
have created ALPS as an unique value proposition for logistics
companies to locate their supply chain operations. Strategically
located within the airport free trade zone, ALPS
enables quick
turnaround of value-added logistics and regional distribution
activities. Companies operating in ALPS
enjoy the
excellent connectivity and superior handling efficiency of
the ChangiAirport.
I am pleased to note that since its launch back in November
2000, ALPS
today is almost
fully occupied by major global logistics
players.
Another competitive edge for our logistics companies is
in the area of supply chain visibility. Through the use IT,
companies are able to track and trace their shipments with ease. To
create opportunities for supply chain optimization by enhancing
supply chain visibility, the Singapore Government will launch
TradeXchange® in October 2007. TradeXchange®
is a neutral and secured IT platform which will facilitate seamless
access to TradeNet®, the various Port Systems such as
Portnet, CCN, Jurong Port (JP) Online and
Marinet[1], and other end-user and value-added-services systems
that are connected to this common platform. With
TradeXchange®, businesses can expect to
save more than $75 million over 10 years just from reduced trade
permit cost.
Conclusion
In closing, I would like to offer my heartiest
congratulations to the management and staff of Nippon Express
Singapore for the opening of your new facility. I am confident that
Nippon Express will now be even more ready to offer your clients
best of breed, and optimized supply chain solutions within Asia and
even globally.
I wish the team every success and may this year of the
“golden pig” bring good fortune and prosperity to your
company.
Thank
you.
[1]TradeNet is used for
application of import/export permits, Portnet and JP Online are
used for sea logistics, Cargo Community Network is used for air
logistics, and Marinet is used for dangerous goods
declarations.