Warehousing, too, may go underground

Study to examine feasibility of centre at Tanjong Kling

(SINGAPORE) The push for underground is gathering momentum.

A feasibility study will be carried out into an underground warehousing, logistics and data centre at Tanjong Kling in Jurong. This comes soon after the government disclosed plans to build an underground science city (USC) at Kent Ridge.

'Both projects could be undertaken concurrently if the studies prove feasible,' a Jurong Town Corporation (JTC) spokeswoman said yesterday.

On Friday, the government called for a consultant to carry out 'geological investigation and ground characterisation' studies at Tanjong Kling. This is expected to take up to five months.

The move comes after a July tender was closed for a consultant to carry out feasibility studies into the Kent Ridge project. JTC is still evaluating the tender bids.

The appointed USC consultant - working to a 14-month deadline - will assess the maximum-size cavern complex that can be built there, as well as its impact on the environment and working population at Kent Ridge. It will also have to provide ballpark cost estimates for the project.

The studies on the two underground projects follow the recent start of construction work on the $1 billion first phase of the Jurong Rock Cavern (JRC) to store oil and petrochemicals on Jurong Island.

The move towards underground facilities comes as industrial land here is fast running out.

On Jurong Island proper, for instance, 75 per cent of the island's 3,000ha has already been taken up or reserved by petrochemical investors.

'The latest Tanjong Kling project would free up 45ha of land for other uses,' the JTC spokeswoman said.

The other advantages of going underground for a warehousing, logistics and data centre are that 'it would be shielded from heat and temperature humidity, have low background radiation and less disturbance from vibration'.

The Tanjong Kling area was chosen as a potential site after earlier studies of geological conditions, the JTC spokeswoman said. It could provide cavern space of more than 1.1 million square metres.

The site comprises Tanjong Kling and Jurong Hill and is bounded by four roads - Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim, Jurong Pier Road, Jalan Buroh and Pioneer Road.

The USC project at Kent Ridge spans 20ha below science parks 1,2 and 3 and Kent Ridge Park.

The area is near one-north, the National University of Singapore and National University Hospital, where research and development activities are pursued.

The JRC, USC and Tanjong Kling projects are part of a wide-ranging, 10-use underground rock cavern feasibility study called by the government in May last year.

The other possible uses are for incineration plants, water reclamation plants and wafer fabs.

Source: Business Times, 3 Nov 2009