Industry digital plan lends Singapore logistics SMEs a hand

SMALL and medium-sized logistics businesses will find opportunities to take part in projects that could benefit the entire industry through a newly revealed Industry Digital Plan (IDP), the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said on Wednesday.

The online plan will guide logistics SMEs towards participating in projects and national initiatives that aim to "uplift the whole sector". These include in-mall distribution, federated lockers and the National Trade Platform, the IMDA said.

Logistics SMEs will receive step-by-step advice on the digital solutions required at each stage of their business growth in the digital economy. A new self-assessment checklist will also be made available on SME Portal to help SMEs identify their digital readiness and the digitalisation opportunities based on their needs.

The IMDA will also continue to put up digital solutions it has pre-approved - such as in customer management or data analytics - on Tech Depot, a one-stop platform for tech solutions on the SME Portal website.

Among the first projects that will be highlighted under the IDP is a tripartite partnership between the IMDA and VCargo Cloud, together with Bollore Logistics (Singapore), Dimerco Express Singapore and LCH Lockton, to make use of digital technology to improve efficiency.

The IMDA said: "As major logistics players, these companies will lead their SME clients through the digitalisation process using VCargo Cloud's Cargo Consolidation Platform, which will help SME freight forwarders or shippers to lower freight rates and develop internal capabilities and efficiencies."

The TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) programme - a SkillsFuture initiative launched in April 2016 to train information communications technologies professionals - will support the IDP.

The IMDA, with support from the Singapore Economic Development Board and Spring Singapore, launched the Logistics IDP as part of the SMEs Go Digital Programme, and in support of the Logistics Industry Transformation Map.