For Robert Yap, then a young software engineer, the siren call of high-tech Singapore proved irresistible. Passionate about information technology and looking for a change, he left Australia and soon found the perfect berth—PSA Corporation. “I joined PSA because it really believes in technology and has a strong vision to expand globally,” says Yap, “and I felt that I could contribute in a small way to its expansion.”

Ignore the modesty. The fact is, Yap has been a primary driving force behind the creation of one of the most technologically sophisticated port operations on the planet.

Formed in 1997 after 33 years as the Port of Singapore Authority, PSA Corporation Ltd. is the world’s largest shipping hub, have developed unmatched expertise in global port operations and logistics. Portnet™.com, a wholly owned subsidiary launched in May 2000, spearheads PSA’s e-commerce initiatives, with the goal of helping the entire shipping and port community increase productivity and cut costs through the greater use of information technology.

The Portnet™ infrastructure has been evolving since 1984, and now has more than 7,000 users who conduct nearly 70 million transactions each year. Originally, Portnet™ relied on mainframe computers to link Singapore’s shipping lines to government agencies for customs clearances, trade declarations, and the like. Now, as an Internet-based operation, says Yap, Portnet™ has “come of age.” Not only does the information flow through the system much more quickly, but Portnet™’s role has greatly expanded, becoming the e-commerce backbone of a global Internet-based maritime community.

A key Portnet™ innovation is eMart, a recently created e-marketplace that allows shippers, among other things, to address the problem of repositioning millions of empty shipping containers in order to better manage their assets. Using eMart, shippers can quickly check the availability, volume, and location of up to 17 million empty containers to see if they can be shared or re-used, greatly increasing the port’s operational efficiency.

Even in its early stages, eMart’s potential has won global attention. “We’re getting requests and expressions of interest from port communities worldwide that are serious about using the Internet to increase efficiency in information management and procurement,” says Yap. “So we’re trying to scale up as quickly as possible to respond to those market demands. It’s a good problem to have.”