MPA Spearheads GeoSpace-Sea Initiative to Harness and Integrate Singapore’s Marine and Coastal Data
MPA Media Release 28 June 2019;
In conjunction with the World Hydrography Day 2019, Dr Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health, today announced the launch of GeoSpace-Sea, a new National Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure . GeoSpace-Sea will harness and integrate the latest geospatial information from various sources of Singapore’s marine and coastal data. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), together with 11 other government agencies and the Tropical Marine Science Institute from National University of Singapore, will develop GeoSpace-Sea in phases.
2 Presently, information about sea space resides and is managed by the different agencies. When fully developed, the GeoSpace-Sea system will provide comprehensive and consolidated geospatial data for port, marine and coastal planning, and environmental management in a timely and efficient manner.
3 “The marine knowledge generated through the GeoSpace-Sea initiative will serve us well in the areas of marine and coastal spatial planning, marine science R&D, marine conservation, climate change adaptation, and disaster response,” said Dr Lam.
4 The first phase is scheduled to commence from the third quarter 2019. For a start, the GeoSpace-Sea database will be populated with hydrographic data, marine environment data such as coastline details, and habitat data. Upon completion of the first phase, user agencies will be able to access a central repository of authorised marine and coastal geospatial data in a single location including viewing the seabed in three-dimension.
5 The GeoSpace-Sea system will adopt open data standards to promote interoperability for users to integrate and overlay various marine, coastal and land data, so as to better co-relate, analyse and utilise the various geospatial data types. This would support the development of a wide range of applications, and allow more holistic planning of a sustainable marine space for Singapore.
6 In future phases, the initiative will be extended to institutes of higher learning and marine science institutes for marine science research. Applications would also be developed for 3D and near real-time coastal and seabed visualisation, and marine models and simulations.
7 The 11 agencies participating in the GeoSpace-Sea initiative are the Building and Construction Authority; Centre for Liveable Cities; Housing & Development Board; JTC Corporation; National Environment Agency; National Parks Board; National Research Foundation; PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency; Singapore Food Agency; Singapore Land Authority; Urban Redevelopment Authority.
World Hydrography Day 2019
8 In celebration of World Hydrography Day themed “Hydrographic Information Driving Marine Knowledge” this year, MPA hosted the East Asia Hydrographic Commission working committee meetings in Singapore. Representatives from 10 Member States discussed various ongoing hydrographic projects, including the proposed development of a regional Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure network. MPA held an exhibition at the Fort Canning Lighthouse on the potential uses of the GeoSpace-Sea initiative: from how bathymetric surveys are conducted to the production of nautical charts to the overlay of geospatial data and other information on the charts. The exhibition also showcased hydrographic and cartographic artefacts that have historically contributed to Singapore’s development as an entrepôt.
New MPA database to promote better use of Singapore waters
Zhaki Abdullah Straits Times 29 Jun 19;
A new database on Singapore's waters, from its coastlines to the seabed, was launched yesterday by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).
Dubbed GeoSpace-Sea, it aims to provide comprehensive geospatial data for port and coastal planning, among other things, as well as environmental management.
"It will be something like the SLA's (Singapore Land Authority's) OneMap," said MPA deputy chief hydrographer Jamie Chen, referring to the map service which will provide geospatial data as well as land ownership information.
The MPA's database will help Singapore's waters be used and developed in a safe and sustainable manner, he added.
The GeoSpace-Sea initiative is a collaboration between the MPA, the National University of Singapore's Tropical Marine Science Institute and 11 government agencies, including the SLA, PUB and the National Environment Agency.
The system will be developed in phases, with the first one - which should begin in the third quarter - expected to include the collation of hydrographic data, as well as habitat and marine environment data such as coastline details.
Future phases will see the initiative extended to institutes of higher learning and marine science institutes for marine science research, as well as the development of applications for coastal and seabed visualisation.
Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health, Dr Lam Pin Min, who attended the launch of the event at Raffles House at Fort Canning, said the initiative would benefit Singapore in a variety of areas, including marine conservation, climate change adaptation and disaster response.
"I am confident that our high-quality hydrographic data will continue to support safe navigation, and when integrated with other data will allow us to derive marine knowledge for further applications," he said.
The MPA - which hosted working committee meetings for the East Asia Hydrographic Commission here over four days beginning on Tuesday - also discussed the possible development of such a system on a regional basis with representatives from other countries such as China and Japan.
Yesterday also saw the launch of the third Smart Ports Challenge, an annual competition in which start-ups compete to develop innovative solutions for the maritime industry.
Earlier this week, the MPA - together with the World Maritime University and former International Maritime Organisation secretary-general Koji Sekimizu - launched the WMU-Koji Sekimizu PhD Fellowship on Maritime Governance, which aims to assess the role and impact of maritime governance over the past 60 years.
