Singapore POCC: Off with the Old, On with the New

Singapore's first Port Operations Control Room Centre (POCC) de-commissioned, as new upgraded centre takes over control.

The decommissioning of the centre at at Tanjong Pagar Complex (POCC-TPC) marks the retirement of Singapore's first POCC after more than 28 years of faithful service in ensuring navigational safety of vessels in the Singapore Strait and Singapore's port waters.

First commissioned on 1 May 1984, POCC-TPC initially used VHF radios to manage vessel traffic in Singapore until the first radar based Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS) was installed in 1990.The VTIS allowed POCC officers to see the positions of vessels in real time on a screen and provide navigational assistance to these vessels. In 2000, POCC-TPC was upgraded with a new VTIS that was able to track up to 5,000 vessels.

MPA's new POCC at Changi Naval Base and upgraded POCC at PSA Vista are fully operational and manned round the clock to ensure navigational safety of vessels in the Singapore Strait and Singapore's port waters. The two centres are fully integrated to serve as mutual back-up to each other. Each centre is independently equipped and has the capability to assume control of all operational areas in times of an emergency affecting the other centre.