Smoother rides from Tanah Merah terminal
The operators of Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal yesterday showed off the facility's new $3 million upgrade, which includes updated technology to speed passengers on their way.
The terminal, run by Singapore Cruise Centre, serves destinations in Indonesia's Riau Islands and Malaysia, and was originally opened in 1995.
It had a passenger throughput of 100,000 in its first year, but the number of passengers using the terminal has since risen to more than 2 million a year.
The latest upgrade involves a complete make-over of the terminal to make the terminal more aesthetically pleasing, new ticketing and baggage services, enhanced security, renovated shops and toilets, and new food and beverage outlets.
A new Sea Passenger Operations System has been introduced to replace the previous Departure Control System.
The new system uses radio frequency (RF) boarding passes which increase the efficiency of the passenger and baggage operations, as well as terminal security, Singapore Cruise Company chairman George Huang said at the opening yesterday.
The RF cards will enable more efficient updating, organisation and retrieval of passenger information and transaction history at the check-in counters, while cutting down on data entry and saving up to $90,000 in manpower costs per year.
The system will identify passengers who have not checked in, or those who have passed the immigration counters but have not boarded the ferry, which will help reduce ferry departure delays.
Free wireless Internet connectivity has been introduced at Tanah Merah and the cruise centre company's HarbourFront terminal, offering cheap international calls using voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP), Mr Huang said.
The company intends to install VoIP kiosks for passengers and visitors who do not have WiFi access on their computing devices or handphones.
A new lounge for premium passengers offers personalised check-in, refreshments and escort services from a guest relations officer, including buggy transport to the ferry.
The terminal, run by Singapore Cruise Centre, serves destinations in Indonesia's Riau Islands and Malaysia, and was originally opened in 1995.
It had a passenger throughput of 100,000 in its first year, but the number of passengers using the terminal has since risen to more than 2 million a year.
The latest upgrade involves a complete make-over of the terminal to make the terminal more aesthetically pleasing, new ticketing and baggage services, enhanced security, renovated shops and toilets, and new food and beverage outlets.
A new Sea Passenger Operations System has been introduced to replace the previous Departure Control System.
The new system uses radio frequency (RF) boarding passes which increase the efficiency of the passenger and baggage operations, as well as terminal security, Singapore Cruise Company chairman George Huang said at the opening yesterday.
The RF cards will enable more efficient updating, organisation and retrieval of passenger information and transaction history at the check-in counters, while cutting down on data entry and saving up to $90,000 in manpower costs per year.
The system will identify passengers who have not checked in, or those who have passed the immigration counters but have not boarded the ferry, which will help reduce ferry departure delays.
Free wireless Internet connectivity has been introduced at Tanah Merah and the cruise centre company's HarbourFront terminal, offering cheap international calls using voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP), Mr Huang said.
The company intends to install VoIP kiosks for passengers and visitors who do not have WiFi access on their computing devices or handphones.
A new lounge for premium passengers offers personalised check-in, refreshments and escort services from a guest relations officer, including buggy transport to the ferry.