22 March 2007

$10 million to spur CORE's R&D at NUS

NUS' Centre for Offshore Research and Engineering (CORE) has received a $10 million boost to realise its vision of becoming a leading offshore engineering centre in research, development and application of technology for the advancement of the offshore and maritime industry.

CORE TO THE FORE: Sealing the MOU which will put a spur to offshore and maritime R&D. From left: Prof Chong Tow Chong, Executive Director, Science & Engineering Research Council, A*STAR; BG (NS) Tay Lim Heng, Chief Executive, MPA; Mr Manohar Khiatani, Assistant Managing Director, EDB; and Prof Tan Chorh Chuan, NUS Deputy President and Provost.

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will each provide research grants of $5 million over three years to CORE. The Economic Development Board (EDB) will support CORE through its Training and Attachment Programme. The Offshore Technology Research Programme to be hosted at CORE was launched at the signing ceremony of the MOU witnessed by Mr Peter Ong, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry.

NUS Deputy President and Provost Prof Tan Chorh Chuan said: "It is evident that R&D will take on an even more significant role in Singapore as demand for oil and gas grows. Similarly, as the extraction of oil and gas expand further to marginal fields, the deeper waters and the arctic regions where climatic conditions are extreme and hazardous, more technological challenges will surface."

CHAIR FOR OFFSHORE ENGINEERING: Prof Peter Marshall brings with him vast experience in the field, having led the initial design team for Bullwinkle, the world record fixed platform, and managed other interdisciplinary research and technology development in Civil Engineering.

BG (NS) Tay Lim Heng, Chief Executive of MPA said the Programme will allow for a coordinated approach to the research efforts of government agencies, tertiary institutions and private organisations in this sector. Prof Chong Tow Chong, Executive Director of A*STAR's Science and Engineering Research Council added that the collaboration will help "capture a holistic value chain of activities that draws on basic research and existing capabilities to leapfrog the outflow of technology to industry".

CORE is also collaborating with seven industry partners -- Keppel Offshore & Maritime Ltd, SemCorp Marine Ltd, Lloyd's Register Asia, American Bureau of Shipping, WorleyParsons Pte Ltd, J Ray McDermott Asia Pacific and Cameron International. They will work on joint research projects in offshore and marine engineering to boost the competitive edge of the industry.

More good news were also announced at the event -- the appointment of Prof Peter Marshall as the Lloyd's Register Educational Trust Chair for Offshore Engineering at NUS -- and the appointment of Assoc Prof Choo Yoo Sang, Founding Director, CORE, as President-Elect of The Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology. Assoc Prof Choo will be the first Asian to serve as President of such a major international institute.