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Tanah Merah ferry terminal's new boarding system to cut queues, costs

THOSE departing Singapore for nearby islands such as Bintan and Tioman can look to a more punctual and comfortable start to their vacation, following a $3-million facelift of the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.
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Instead of a paper boarding pass, passengers are now each issued a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) boarding pass that they tap against a card reader — which scans the travel data into the terminal's operating system — to pass through various security checkpoints, just like how EZ-Link cards are used on public transportation.
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The Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC), which operates the terminal, is believed to be the first in Asia to use the paperless system.
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Delays to ferry departures will be cut down, as terminal staff can pinpoint readily those who have not checked in or boarded the ferry after checking in.
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Security will also be boosted as the luggage of passengers not on board will be off-loaded. This reduces the incidence of lost baggage and acts as another deterrent against terrorism, SCC president Cheong Teow Cheng told the media yesterday.
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The RFID boarding passes, which will be collected back from passengers just before they board their ferries, can be re-used up to 500 times. The use of the device is expected to yield over $500,000 in paper and printing cost savings over the next five years. Up to $90,000 in manpower costs per year can also be saved.
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The upgrade at Tanah Merah — its first since the terminal was built 11 years ago — includes new flooring, additional food-and-beverage outlets, enhanced multilingual signage, among others.
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A facility called the Ixora lounge has also been built for passengers willing to fork out up to $50 per person for personalised services, including light refreshments and Internet use.
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Mr Cheong told Today that the Ixora lounge would soon serve visitors of Banyan Tree resort under a new deal, and the SCC plans to persuade more Bintan resort operators to come on board.

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Source : TODAYonline