Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering) announced today that its joint venture (JV) with Peluca, ST Engineering AirX, will collaborate with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) for trials of its AirFish Wing-in-Ground (WIG) craft in Singapore.
AirX and MPA will work together to identify an area off Changi, Singapore, to trial both the single-engine and the dual-engine AirFish 8 prototypes, while ensuring that normal port operations will remain unaffected.
The trials, which will contribute to the establishment of an Engineering and Certification Centre of Excellence for WIG in Singapore to further attract professionals into the maritime domain, are expected to commence from the third quarter of 2024 at a frequency of twice monthly.
Vessels like the WIG craft, which operates just above the sea surface by utilising the ground effect, where aerodynamic drag is reduced via flying close to a surface, are governed by guidelines from the International Maritime Organization, with the same collision avoidance rules as conventional ships.
AirX will also work with a classification society on the process and compliance requirements for an Approval in Principle (AiP), a validated third-party technical assessment for the vehicle’s classification as a marine vessel before it can commence any commercial operations.
The AiP will be awarded by a classification society upon assessment of the WIG craft’s compliance with safety, quality and environmental standards.
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As at 12.25 pm, shares in ST Engineering are trading two cents higher or 0.50% up at $4.00.
