Kra canal

One Belt One Road: Opportunities and Risks for Singapore (Part 2)

However, operating a port and making it a success is not just about cranes, gantries and dockyards. This is the “hard” infrastructure. The more challenging part is to replicate the “soft” infrastructure.  In Singapore, investing in infrastructure has been combined with creating a supply chain ecosystem that develops technological, financial, legal, banking and a myriad of other supporting mechanisms. These capabilities are overlaid with a stable, corruption-free government and competent workforce. These capacities are interlocking and complement each other effectively. When working in tandem, it might be hard for OBOR projects to displace this “soft” infrastructure.