Support system launched to help marine and offshore engineering industry go digital

MARINE and offshore engineering enterprises looking to digitalise now have a support system in the form of the Marine And Offshore Engineering Industry Digital Plan (IDP).

Jointly developed by Enterprise Singapore and the Infocomm Media Development Authority, the plan is set to benefit approximately 1,000 enterprises keen on streamlining operations and maximising productivity through digital tools.

Under this IDP, industry players will have access to two digital roadmaps: One charts out the digital solutions that can be adopted at each stage of business growth, and the other identifies digital training plans for its employees so they pick up the right skill sets.

Speaking at the launch of the IDP on Tuesday, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling said that digitalisation is a key way for businesses to become more resilient, and to enhance their ability to capture opportunities in both Singapore and overseas.

She cited the example of Completion Products, an oil-and-gas manufacturer and supplier which has lowered its operating costs by 10 per cent since implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning system to streamline its corporate functions; a member of its staff who underwent digital training has been able to save up to two hours by using the company's technological system to auto-generate a report, instead of producing one manually.

Serving to complement the small and medium-sized enterprises' "Go Digital" programme launched in April 2017, the IDP has a guide on the digital solutions that firms can adopt - from getting ready for the digital economy to scaling up the business digitally and using advanced technologies to gain a competitive advantage over others.

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For starters, SMEs can leverage an online self-assessment checklist to understand their digital maturity and readiness, and identify gaps in their digital capabilities.

This IDP follows a similar one launched for food manufacturers last month.

Rounding off her speech, Ms Low urged companies to take the first step in digitalisation: "Although the marine and offshore engineering industry is facing very challenging times, it can pivot to new adjacent growth areas and scale up through digital transformation.

"The government is deeply cognisant of the present challenges faced by this sector and will continue providing utmost support to the ecosystem of SMEs undergirding it."