The global crane and transport industry will gather in Singapore for the World Crane and Transport Summit Asia (WCTS Asia) on 4 and 5 October 2023, taking place at the Suntec Singapore Convention Centre.

Organised by KHL Group and its magazine International Cranes and Specialized Transport, WCTS Asia will include a site visit, conference and networking sessions. Industry leaders will be among the speakers and participants in this global event.

The full-day conference will cover trends in business and technology facing the sector, including the use of cranes and specialised transport in construction, renewable energy and oil & gas. All types of cranes and specialised transport will be included, from loader cranes, mobile cranes, crawlers and tower cranes, to rigging equipment and SPMT transporters.

WCTS Asia has the official support of the Singapore Crane Association (SCA) and the Singapore Transport Association (STA) and is part of the industry-organised Singapore Logistics and Crane Carnival. The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) is the exclusive event partner.

(Members of the SCA and STA have access to a discount code to use on the registration page. Contact the association to obtain the discount code or contact Steve Webb at KHL Group).

Running since 2009, WCTS is an international gathering of professionals in the crane and specialised transport industry, where they can network, learn and share best practices. The event usually takes place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; but this year, it will be held in Singapore to take a closer look at the Asia Pacific market.

Influential speakers on important subjects

As the Asia Pacific region moves towards a net zero future, Paul van Gelder of Mammoet will talk about energy transition and the race to meet 2030 targets. He will be the keynote speaker at the conference.

Allan Tan of United Tec Construction will deliver a presentation on the PPVC (prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction) technology. The contractor has been involved in the Avenue South Residence project in Singapore, dubbed the world’s tallest PPVC residential building.

On safety issues, Bernard Kwok of Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will give an overview on the safe use of cranes and areas of concern. Brandon Hitch of the Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) will highlight safe practices for lifting concrete elements.

In addition, Dr Nicholas Fearnley of Oxford Economics will provide an economic outlook for the construction industry in Asia Pacific, while Albert Chua of Liebherr Singapore will discuss the challenges, trends and opportunities in the cranes business.

Other influential speakers who will share their experiences and insights into the Asian market include Kohki Uemura of Denzai and Philippe Verdeure of Sarens.

Confirmed speakers and topics are as follows:

• Time is running out to meet 2030 targets: facilitating the energy transition
  Paul van Gelder, global CEO, Mammoet

• Safe use of cranes: an overview on the use of cranes and areas of concern
  Bernard Kwok, deputy director (engineering safety), Ministry of Manpower (MOM)

• Asia Pacific economic overview: construction, oil & gas, and energy
  Dr Nicholas Fearnley, head of global construction forecasting, Oxford Economics

• Being a pioneer in PPVC construction and how it led to a record-breaking project
  Allan Tan, managing director, United Tec Construction

• How a new way of thinking about cranage is delivering benefits on complex projects
  Simon Marr, managing director, Marr Contracting

• Challenges, trends, and opportunities: what´s affecting the crane business?
  Albert Chua, managing director, Liebherr Singapore

• Expansion experience: growing a crane and transport business in Asia and beyond
  Kohki Uemura, CEO, Denzai K.K.

• Refined solutions in the Fine City: how alternative lifting methods improved efficiency on Jurong Island
  Philippe Verdeure, managing director projects - APAC and ME, Sarens

• Super heavy lifting in the oil & gas offshore construction and services sector
  Joe Collins, heavy lifting division director, Becht Engineering

• Safer lifting: using multiple hooks to lift concrete elements
  Brandon Hitch, CEO, Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA)

• Wire rope challenges and solutions for increased efficiency and safety
  Thierry Verreet, managing director, Verope

This year’s Gold sponsors are Comansa and Tadano. Silver sponsors are Denzai and Liebherr. Bronze sponsors are Crosby, Lebus, Modulift, WireCo and Yongmao.

Singapore Logistics and Crane Carnival 2023

The crane and transport industry and its trade associations in Singapore are organising a series of events in the first week of October 2023 as the Singapore Logistics and Crane Carnival 2023.

The schedule is to be confirmed, but will encompass a ‘Crane Carnival’ recruitment event, visits to crane companies and the WCTS Asia conference. In fact, the WCTS event will form the international centrepiece of the week, helping engage the wider Asian crane and transport sector in efforts to bolster safety and professionalism in the industry.

The full programme of WCTS Asia can be viewed here. The event registration page is available here.

Image 1: Timo Volz/Pixabay
Image 2 (photos of the speakers), 3 & 4: KHL