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SINGAPORE: The reclamation of Singapore's Jurong Island was completed on Friday after nearly a decade, marking a major milestone in the country's industrial development.
Although the initial completion date was 2030, the project finished some 20 years ahead of schedule, due to high demand from big global names for space on the island.
The companies currently housed on the 3,000-hectare island account for about 80 per cent of the manufacturing output from the energy and chemical sectors in Singapore.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the completion of the reclamation, Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade and Industry, said the plan is to position the island as the industrial development model of the future – coupling world-class competitiveness with sustainable and responsible development growth.
"The key was integration. It was about helping chemical companies save costs by capitalising on vertical and horizontal linkages - upstream plants supplying feedstock to downstream manufacturers, sharing common facilities," said Mr Lim.
Ninety-five leading energy and chemical companies have invested more than S$31 billion in fixed assets on Jurong Island.
JTC Corporation, the island's industrial landlord, said the eastern part of the island is now fully occupied, but plots remain for investors on the western side.
JTC also said that it hopes to see more companies conduct research and development on the island to bring Singapore's petrochemical production up the value chain.
And while reclamation may have been completed, further expansion of the island has not been ruled out. Currently, further storage and infrastructure projects, such as the Jurong Rock Cavern and Very Large Floating Structure (VLFS), are well underway.
"We are looking at jetties to see how we can better facilitate jetties... because as the population grows here, roads will be more congested, so if you use barging as an alternative means to trucking for transport of chemicals, I think it will be helpful," said Cedric Foo, chairman of JTC Corporation.
Plans for a second link, connecting the mainland to the island, have been confirmed, but details of the project have yet to be announced.
- CNA/sc
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