UKHO Opens in Singapore
UKHO announced during Sea Asia that it will open its first overseas office in Singapore to provide local support for Admiralty distributors and a rapidly-growing customer base across Asia. The move will enable the UKHO to work more closely with the world’s largest maritime market which has a vital role to play in the shipping industry’s successful transition to digital navigation.
The number of vessels throughout Asia using electronic navigation technology is rising quickly as shipping companies take advantage of both the improved safety benefits and operational efficiencies available. The introduction of the ECDIS Mandate from 2012 is expected to further increase demand.
Michael Cauter, deputy chief executive at the UKHO, said that Asia is the engine of the shipping industry: the region holds eight of the world’s ten busiest ports, manufactures the majority of new commercial vessels, and provides more merchant crew than any other continent. “It’s hugely important for the UKHO to be in a position to easily engage with this vast and vibrant maritime community as the industry shifts to digital navigation. By establishing a base in Singapore, Admiralty will be at the heart of the conversation, and best placed to respond swiftly to the needs of our growing number of customers across Asia.”
The Admiralty team in Singapore will work in close collaboration with distributors across Asia to ensure their customers have access to Admiralty advice and expertise on digital navigation strategy as well as local product support. In addition, the office provides a platform for ongoing engagement with the Asian maritime market, ensuring that developing requirements from customers in the region become an integral part of future Admiralty plans for products, service and support.
The operation in Singapore marks the beginning of a new phase of the UKHO’s long and successful history of collaboration with the Asian maritime community in the development of navigational products and services. The UKHO has worked closely with many of the Asian Hydrographic Offices over the last 30 years in the development of first paper, then digital charts of the region to help improve the information available to mariners.
Registered as Admiralty Hydrographic Asia Pacific Pte, the office will be based at 1 Fullerton Road, Marina Bay.
