ABSTRACT
The economic and social development of Singapore has always been intimately linked to its status as a major port. In many ways, the progress of the Port of Singapore mirrors the progress of the city/state. Though the economy of Singapore has diversified greatly and its dependence on its port has decreased in the last decade, the Port of Singapore’s attempts to remain competitive will, in many ways, mirror Singapore’s ability to remain competitive in other sectors. The challenge is particularly daunting because Singapore is a country with few natural resources. However, as in many other aspects, the development of port infrastructures in Singapore is interesting; its small size imposes severe constraints on the options available, but its compactness and unique social and economical setting also offer advantages that could be harnessed. Key in the past, and probably more so in the future, is a need to ensure that key infrastructures are integrated across multi-dimensions, such as:
• integration over functions • integration over organizations • integration over time • integration across boundaries-globalization.
