Singapore - Ports

Singapore is currently the second largest port in the world in terms of TEU capacity, the largest transshipment hub, and the world leader in bunkering. Singapore is well-connected to 600 ports in over 120 countries. At any one time, there are about 1,000 vessels in the Singapore port. Vessels passing through the Singapore Strait are monitored by the Maritime and Port Authority's (MPA) Port Operations Control Centre, using the Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS), which has the capability of handling up to 10,000 tracks at any one time. Annually, more than 130,000 ships call at Singapore.

Singapore has two main commercial port terminal operators, namely PSA Corporation Limited and Jurong Port. Both ports can accommodate all vessel types.                                                                                                                                         

The Port of Singapore includes terminals located at Tanjong Pagar, Keppel, Brani, Pasir Panjang, Sembawang and Jurong. They can accommodate all types of vessels, including container ships, bulk carries, ro-ro ships, cargo freighters, coasters and lighters.

The terminals are managed by two commercial port operators – PSA Singapore Terminals, which manages the major share of container handling in Singapore and Jurong Port Pte Ltd, which is Singapore’s main bulk and conventional cargo terminal operator.

 PSA Singapore terminals

PSA Singapore Terminals also operates a dedicated car terminal at PPT and is fast becoming a vehicle transhipment hub for the region, handling about one million vehicles annually. In January 2009, Singapore's first dedicated car terminal, the Asia Automobile Terminal (Singapore), began operations.  It is a joint venture of PSA Singapore Terminals, NYK and "K" Line.

Jurong Port

Jurong Port is a multi-purpose port and the main bulk and conventional cargo gateway for Singapore and the region.

The port handles steel products, cement, project cargo and copper slag, among others, using an extensive network of pipelines and conveyor systems for speedy and environment-friendly discharge and loading. It is also accredited by the London Metal Exchange as an ideal storage and transhipment hub for companies dealing in metals such as steel and tin ingots.

With its multi-purpose capabilities, Jurong Port is able to handle different types of cargoes efficiently and seamlessly at the same teminal.

The Port of Singapore

The Port of Singapore is the busiest container transhipment hub and the largest publicly owned port in the world. Located on the southern end of the Malay Peninsula, 30km south-west of the Port of Johor in Malaysia, the Port of Singapore offers connectivity to more than 600 ports in 123 countries.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) owns and is responsible for the growth and development of the port.

The port handled 37.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers and 626.2 million tonnes of cargo in 2019. It attracts approximately 130,000 vessel calls a year, on an average, currently.

The port underwent S$3.5bn project at the Pasir Panjang terminal to add 15 mega containership berths, which was completed in June 2015. The terminal is capable of handling container vessels of 130,000TEUs or more.

The facilities at the Port of Singapore include container terminals, berths, cranes, storage facilities, port information systems, an approach channel and an inter-modal transport system.

The Port of Singapore has terminals at Brani, Keppel, Tanjong Pagar, Pasir Panjang, Jurong and Sembawang. The terminals can handle coasters and lighters, cargo freighters, RO-RO ships, bulk carriers and container vessels. Brani, Keppel and Tanjong Pagar are planned to be moved to Tuas Port by 2027, followed by Pasir Panjang terminals by 2040.

The anchorage areas in the port include the Eastern Sector, the Jurong Sector and the Western Sector. The public landing areas, West Coast Pier, Marina South Pier and Changi Point Ferry Terminal, have dining outlets, shops, immigration and ferry services.

The port is equipped with 204 quay cranes and number of gantry cranes that can handle larger ships such as UASC A7-Class vessels. Each operator can handle six cranes with the help of remote-controlled bridge cranes.

The quay cranes have twin-lift capability and can outreach across 22 rows of containers. The port also operates mobile harbour cranes to handle heavy-lift project cargo.

Upcoming Port in Singapore

A large automated container terminal, named Tuas Port, is currently being built at the port, which will have the capacity to handle 65 million TEUs upon completion in 2040. Tuas port is expected to be the world’s biggest fully-automated terminal when completed.

Tuas port will incorporate innovative technologies such as yard automation and full-electric automated guided vehicles.

All the existing Singaporean container terminals will be merged and relocated with the Tuas terminal, upon its completion.