Improving the Seaborne Garbage Collection Process

The collection of seaborne garbage from ships moored in the Eastern and Western Anchorages is currently carried out using open bins for collection and storage. This process poses some environmental and aesthetics issues in terms of pollution due to slippages, smell, and the unsightly appearance of these bins.

Supported by the MPA MINT Fund, a pilot involving the use of a seaborne garbage compactor was carried out.  A specially-designed hopper was built to facilitate the funnelling of garbage bags into a compactor fitted onboard a garbage collection vessel.  The successful trials achieved an average compaction ratio of five times the original volume.  The project was jointly carried out by the Centre of Innovation, Marine & Offshore Technology, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Tian San Shipping and MPA. 

Tian San Shipping is in the process of constructing eight units of custom-built compactors designed by Centre of Innovation, Marine & Offshore Technology, Ngee Ann Polytechnic. The new compactors will be deployed on the garbage collection crafts from 2010.