Speech by Acting Minister For Transport, Mr Chee Hong Tat at the Launch of Green and Smart Mobility Ecosystem in Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Mr Lim Kok Kiang, Principal & CEO, Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Mr Lim Han Weng, Group Executive Chairman, Yinson Holdings Berhad

Mr Eirik Barclay, CEO, Yinson GreenTech

Mr Derrick Loh, CEO, MooVita 

Distinguished Guests 

Students

1.     Good morning. Thank you for inviting me to join the launch of a green and smart mobility ecosystem here in Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), involving partners Yinson Green Technologies (YGT) and MooVita.

Sowing the Seeds

2.     Singapore aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, to contribute to the global fight against climate change. With the land transport sector accounting for about 15% of Singapore’s carbon emissions, there are steps we can take to reduce the land transport sector emissions that will contribute to lowering our overall carbon emissions. 

3.     This is an effort that will take several decades to achieve. I am glad we are sowing the seeds from young, through partnerships between our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and the industry. I would like to commend NP, YGT and MooVita for your collaboration to develop a green and smart mobility ecosystem here in NP. Our students of today will be our innovators and trailblazers of tomorrow, and they will play a pivotal role in determining whether we can achieve our net-zero future in 2050. 

4.     Today’s launch of the synergy.lab in NP will allow students and industry to experiment with the latest technologies in sustainability and smart mobility, such as electric vehicles (EV) charging load management, autonomous vehicle (AV) deployment and solar technology management. 

A Greener & Smarter Mobility Future

5.     First, electrification is currently the most viable option for emissions reduction for light vehicles. Switching from a conventional petrol vehicle, or an internal combustion engine vehicle, to an EV halves the carbon footprint, based on our current energy mix for power generation. To support EV adoption, the Government is accelerating the deployment of EV charging infrastructure. We aim for all HDB towns to be equipped with charging points by 2025, and to build up a network of 60,000 charging points by 2030. The EV chargers in NP will contribute to our national charging network and bring greater convenience to EV drivers.

6.     Second, innovative mobility solutions, such as AVs, have the potential to reduce our land and manpower constraints in the medium to longer term. AVs are already in use today at Tuas Port, to transport containers between the yard and the wharf. Managed remotely from a control centre with reduced manpower demands, this has improved operational productivity, while creating higher value jobs for our workers. We are also actively exploring usage of AVs in Changi Airport, to reduce our demand for drivers for airport operations.

7.     I am heartened to see companies like MooVita taking concrete steps to trial AV technologies, by commencing its driverless MooBus service in NP earlier this year, powered by renewable energy. These trials help to familiarise Singaporeans with AVs and increase public acceptance over time, paving the way for further deployment and wider usage of AVs in future, including on our roads. 

8.     I was in Beijing last week for the Global Sustainable Transport Forum where many countries shared their plans for a cleaner transport system. I also sat in two AVs by WeRide, one Robotaxi and one Robobus, which were deployed on public roads within a designated pilot zone. There were no drivers or operators in the vehicles, but a safety operator monitored the journey remotely. 

9.     The Chinese have made significant progress in AV technologies, both for smart vehicles and smart traffic management systems, to achieve an ecosystem which supports safe and effective usage of AVs. We can learn from their experiences and work with companies like WeRide and others to speed up the adoption of AVs in Singapore.

Conclusion

10.    To NP students, I encourage you to make full use of the resources available to learn and develop skills in these emerging domains. It is exciting that you are able to witness the future of mobility right here within your campus, and for you to play a role in shaping it. I look forward to each of you being part of this transformation, seizing learning and business opportunities in Singapore and globally.

11.    I would also like to encourage more industry players to step forward, just like what YGT and MooVita have done, to collaborate with our IHLs, to nurture and develop our future workforce. By integrating the expertise, resources and talent of industry and our educational institutions, we can unlock new possibilities and fresh ideas.

12.    Congratulations to NP, YGT and MooVita once again – may the NP green and smart mobility ecosystem inspire many cohorts of students and generate exciting ideas that will drive our mobility transformation of tomorrow. Thank you.