SINGAPORE - Singaporeans seeking to enter the maritime industry, which is set to see digitalisation, can get a leg up in a new initiative by Republic Polytechnic (RP)and port operator PSA Corporation Limited (PSA).

The RP-PSA Experiential Laboratory, which was launched on Friday (Jan 5), will provide a simulated environment for classes to be conducted based on real-life port operations scenarios.

The lab, which is part of a three-year agreement signed between PSA and RP in 2015, has a simulation system that mimics operations at PSA container terminals.

The launch was attended by Minister for Education (Schools) and Second Minister for Transport, Mr Ng Chee Meng, who observed a demonstration of simulated port operations in the lab.

"This lab is a key step towards equipping our students with the necessary skill-sets to work in a fast-paced and challenging environment, and to learn from one of the best port operators in the world," said Mr Ng.

About 400 RP students from the Diploma in Industrial and Operations Management, Diploma in Supply Chain Management and Diploma in Aviation Management are expected to benefit from the lab yearly.

Correction note: This story has been edited for accuracy.