Singapore’s annual vessel arrival tonnage, total tonnage of ships under
the Singapore flag, container throughput, total bunker sales, and sales
of alternative bunker fuels, reached new highs in 2024. Cargo throughput
handled at the port of Singapore also increased in 2024. These were
among some of the announcements by Mr Murali Pillai, Minister of State
for Law and Transport, at the annual Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF)
New Year Conversations event. Mr Murali said that despite strained
global supply chains, Maritime Singapore has maintained strong growth
momentum in 2024 and looks forward to continued steady growth in 2025.
Key 2024 Maritime and Port Performance
Gross Tonnage. The annual vessel arrival tonnage in the
port of Singapore grew by 0.6%, reaching a new record of 3.11 billion
gross tonnage (GT), up from 3.09 billion GT in 2023. The key shipping
categories - bulk carriers, container ships and tankers - each
accounting for close to a third, contributed to over 90% of Singapore’s
vessel arrival tonnage in 2024. Arrivals of bulk carriers also hit a
record high in 2024. Other categories, such as specialised vessels,
ferries and cruise liners account for the remainder. This diverse
distribution reinforces Singapore’s position as a global hub supporting
the diversity of global shipping carrying commodities, containers,
energy supplies, and various trades.
Cargo. Cargo throughput handled at the port of
Singapore also rose to 622.67 million tonnes, an increase of 5.2% from
592.01 million tonnes in 2023.
Container. Our container throughput from both PSA
terminals and Jurong Port crossed the 40 million TEU mark for the first
time, growing by 5.4% and reaching a new record of 41.12 million TEUs
compared to 39.0 million TEUs in 2023. Around 90% of Singapore’s
container throughput is for transshipment to other destinations.
Singapore remains the largest container transshipment hub in the world.
The majority of container vessels complete their simultaneous cargo
handling and bunkering within a day of arrival. Various efforts were
undertaken collectively by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
(MPA), PSA Singapore, and unions, to address the port congestion
arising from the Red Sea situation in mid-2024. These included
commissioning new berths at Tuas Port, reactivating berths and yard
spaces at Keppel Terminal, increasing manpower capacity, working with
shipping and feeder lines to optimise operations schedule, and
permitting night-tow operations for container barges to and from Pasir
Panjang Terminal for the first time.
11 berths at the new Tuas Port are now operational, with 7 more berths
to be operational by 2027. Reclamation works in Phase 2 of Tuas Port are
about 75% completed. A Joint Venture partnership between Evergreen
Marine Corporation (EMC) and PSA Singapore was established in November
2024, offering long-term terminal capacity assurance to EMC’s expanding
global vessel fleet in Singapore.
Bunker fuels. Total bunker sales registered a new high of 54.92 million
tonnes, marking a 6.0% year-on-year increase. The increased uptake was
partly due to the extended Asia-Europe shipping routes via the Cape of
Good Hope given the disruptions in the Red Sea. Singapore made steady
progress as the world’s largest bunkering port, supplying over a sixth
of the total fuel used by global shipping.
Sales of alternative bunker fuels exceeded one million tonnes for the
first time to reach 1.34 million tonnes in 2024, a year-on-year
doubling. Specifically, the sale of biofuel blends grew from 0.52
million tonnes in 2023 to 0.88 million tonnes. Biofuel blends of up to
B50 are available commercially with trials of up to B100 on-going. LNG
increased from 0.11 million tonnes in 2023 to 0.46 million tonnes. An
Expression of Interest was launched in December 2024 to explore scalable
solutions for sea-based LNG reloading to complement the existing
onshore LNG bunkering storage and jetty capacities and support the
supply of e-/bio methane as marine fuel in Singapore. Methanol was
available on a commercial scale and registered 1,626 tonnes, while 9.74
tonnes of ammonia was bunkered for the first time globally in trials in
our port.
As part of the pro-enterprise rules review exercise led by Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong to help lower
business costs, MPA will reduce the verification frequency of mass flow
meters from twice to once a year, starting 1 April 2025. This aligns
with the updated SS648:2024 standards and is expected to save the
industry approximately S$300,000 a year. Risk-based audits will continue
as the industry undertakes the transition.
Growth as an International Maritime Centre and Marine Tech Start-up Hub
As a leading International Maritime Centre, Singapore is home to close
to 200 international shipping groups. In addition, more than 30 maritime
companies spanning shipping, legal, insurance, shipbroking, and marine
tech sectors, have established or expanded their operations in Singapore
during the year. Notably, classification society RINA announced the
set-up of its Open Innovation Hub in Singapore. Total business spending
by key maritime companies overseen by MPA increased to S$5.2 billion in
2024, up from S$4.8 billion the previous year.
From 1 April 2024, MPA has waived the need for security deposits and
bankers’ guarantees for companies assessed to have lower credit risks.
This initiative, which is also part of the pro-enterprise rules review
exercise, will benefit 80% of existing billing parties, improving
cashflow for maritime businesses, including small-and-medium
enterprises, by over S$20 million each year.
The number of start-ups under Port Innovation Ecosystem Reimagined
@BLOCK71 (PIER71TM) has grown from 17 in 2018 when PIER71TM was
launched, to over 140 today. These start-ups have since raised over S$80
million in investments, with 10 start-ups raising close to S$17 million
in 2024.
Singapore retained its position as the world’s top maritime centre in
the Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index for
the 11th consecutive year. MPA was also recognised by Lloyd’s List as
one of the top ten regulators globally.
Singapore Registry of Ships Performance
The total tonnage of ships under the Singapore flag exceeded 100
million GT for the first time and reached a new record high of 108
million GT, an increase of 8.5% from 99.6 million GT in 2023. The
Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) remains one of the world’s top five
ship registries.
Last year, 29 Singapore-flagged ships from 12 companies received Green
Ship Certificates under the Green Ship Programme. In April 2024, Eastern
Pacific Shipping signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MPA
committing several of their ammonia dual-fuel newbuilds to be registered
under the SRS upon delivery. More of such vessels using new fuels are
expected to use Singapore as the flag of choice in the coming years.
In the collision involving Singapore-registered tanker, Hafnia Nile, in
the South China Sea in July 2024, MPA worked with our foreign
counterparts and ship managers to coordinate the rescue of 22 crew on
board, supported by the Republic of Singapore Navy vessel RSS Supreme.
In the incident of an allision by Singapore-registered container ship,
Dali, with the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, in
March 2024, MPA offered its assistance in the US Coast Guard’s
investigations. MPA also worked with the vessel’s classification society
to provide the technical assessment and stability calculations to
support the salvage operations.
Key Digitalisation, Decarbonisation, Manpower, and Operations Initiatives
Electronic Bunker Delivery Notes
From 1 April 2025, all bunker suppliers will need to provide digital
bunkering services and issue electronic bunker delivery (e-BDN) notes by
default. The digital bunkering initiative, which includes an e-BDN
record verification service by MPA, aims to streamline operations,
enhance security and transparency, and is expected to save up to 40,000
man-days annually. A standard for digital bunkering supply chain
documentation (SS709:2024) was also published in November 2024.
Singapore is the first port to implement digital bunkering at scale for
bunkering operations following approval by the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) to use eBDN at the 80th meeting of the Marine
Environment Protection Committee in 2023.
New Fuels
In March 2024, Fortescue, with support from MPA, successfully conducted
the world’s first use of ammonia, in combination with diesel, as marine
fuel onboard the Singapore-flagged ammonia-powered vessel Fortescue
Green Pioneer. To support the operationalisation of ammonia bunkering,
EnterpriseSG and MPA will develop the Singapore standards for ammonia
bunkering by 2025. The lead developer for a low- or zero-carbon ammonia
power generation and bunkering solution on Jurong Island under the
Request for Proposal launched by MPA and the Energy Market Authority of
Singapore is expected to be announced in 2025. MPA also worked with our
counterparts to develop the interim guidelines for the use of ammonia as
fuel, which was adopted by the IMO at the Maritime Safety Committee
during its 109th session in December 2024.
The first simultaneous methanol bunkering and cargo operations (SIMOPS)
was conducted in May 2024 at the Tuas Port. The use of the mass flow
metering (MFM) system for methanol, together with the use of digital
bunkering, was also trialled during the SIMOPS. MPA is currently
developing the Technical Reference for methanol bunkering, which will
cover safety procedures, crew competencies, custody transfer
requirements, and the framework to govern the use of the MFM and digital
documentation records for methanol bunkering. This Technical Reference
is expected to be released in 2025.
Electric Harbour Craft and Charging
The first pilot trial for electric harbour craft (e-HC) charging point
was launched in April 2024 following a call for proposal to develop and
operate e-HC charging points at various locations under a two-year pilot
scheme. MPA, together with Enterprise Singapore, Singapore Standards
Council, industry stakeholders, and academia, has developed a Technical
Reference (TR) for e-HC charging and battery swap systems to support the
development of the e-HC charging infrastructure and ecosystem in the
Port of Singapore. Details of the TR will be announced in the coming
months.
e-HC designs shortlisted from proposals following MPA’s expression of
interest launched in July 2023, are undergoing enhancements to improve
their performance and cost-effectiveness. These improved reference
designs, developed through a collaboration between MPA and various
Institutes of Higher Learning, will be marketed by the respective
companies, and production demand will be aggregated to achieve economies
of scale.
Maritime Energy Training Facility
In April 2024, MPA established the Maritime Energy Training Facility
(METF) to train the global maritime workforce in handling and operating
vessels using clean marine fuels. The network of industry-supported
training establishments is expected to be fully developed by 2026 and
will train around 10,000 seafarers and other maritime personnel by the
2030s. There are currently 52 METF training partners comprising global
marine engine manufacturers, international organisations, classification
societies, trade associations, unions, and institutes of higher
learning. Over 400 seafarers and maritime professionals have undergone
training under the METF.
Key Developments in Green and Digital Shipping Corridors
In 2024, MPA signed two new Green and Digital Shipping Corridors
(GDSCs) MoUs with Australia and Shandong, China. These add to the four
GDSCs established earlier with the Port of Rotterdam in Netherlands, the
Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in the United States of America,
Tianjin in China, and Japan.
In October 2024, the Singapore-Rotterdam GDSC successfully completed a
pilot for the bunkering of mass-balanced liquefied bio-methane at the
Port of Rotterdam. A similar trial is planned in Singapore in 2025. In
addition, the Corridor partners issued a call-for-proposal in April 2024
to develop solutions for efficient and secure data exchange between
ship and shore. We have since shortlisted seven solution providers, and
trials will be conducted with both ports in Q1 2025.
Under the Singapore-Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach GDSC,
discussions are ongoing with industry partners, including Hafnia, K Line
and MOL, to support alternative fuels trials and Just-In-Time
data-exchange projects for vessels. As for the Singapore-Tianjin GDSC,
the Nanyang Technological University’s Maritime Energy and Sustainable
Development Centre and the China Classification Society are researching
quality and testing standards of green methanol fuels and greenhouse gas
intensity of green methanol production from various pathways. The
Singapore-Japan GDSC partners have been conducting information exchanges
on port decarbonisation and digitalisation, safety of ammonia-fuelled
ships, electric vessels, and cyber security.
Talent Development
In 2024, 56 students from maritime and non-maritime disciplines
participated in the 12-week MPA - Global Internship Award programme
across 46 maritime organisations and gained valuable internship
experience and international exposure in the maritime industry. 23
maritime leaders and professionals also participated in the 4th Maritime
Leadership Programme.
The Tripartite Advisory Panel for Future-ready Maritime Workforce
report was launched to guide skills development in areas such as
digital, and soft skills to support the transformation of the maritime
workforce. Following the release of the report, the MPA-SMF Joint Office
for Talent and Skills was established to facilitate collaboration among
the key stakeholders to develop the pool of skilled maritime
professionals and to equip the workforce with future-ready skills. As
part of its early efforts, an MoU was signed in August 2024 with the
National University of Singapore to pilot an applied data science and
analytics course tailored for maritime professionals.
Operations
MPA, together with various government agencies, supported by oil
response experts and contractors responded to several oil spill
incidents in 2024, including the Marine Honour oil spill in June and the
leakage of oil from facilities in Pulau Bukom in October and December.
The 16th Joint Oil Spill Exercise (JOSE) conducted in October 2024 saw
100 personnel from 18 agencies and companies participate in the
table-top exercise and seaward deployment. JOSE, conducted since 1998,
has evolved over the years incorporating more sophisticated scenarios
and new technologies.
Volunteers from the inaugural batch of the Safer Seas Volunteer
Programme participated in the annual Ferry Rescue Exercise in August
2024. The exercise integrated and tested the volunteers as experienced
craft operators, to complement agencies’ efforts in delivering
coordinated emergency responses.
Steady Growth Amidst Shifting Dynamics in 2025
The outlook for 2025 is likely to be shaped by geopolitical dynamics
and shifting trade patterns. Global GDP growth is forecasted to remain
steady this year with seaborne trade projected to grow 1.9%, with some
re-routing of trade routes expected. The major shipping segments - bulk
carriers, containerships, tankers and specialised vessels - are expected
to continue performing better than pre-pandemic years.
Regional supply chains are adapting to rising demand and increased
production within Asia. This has supported the growth of ports in our
region, including those in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Notably,
Asian ports such as Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan, have experienced
robust growth in 2024 and are expected to continue expanding overall
container volumes. Shipping alliances are responding to these shifts and
reconfiguring in Q1 2025 to optimise their coverage in key markets,
including in Asia.
Strengthening Singapore’s Maritime Ecosystem
Singapore will continue to enhance our offerings to serve all shipping
segments while expanding capabilities in emerging domains such as space,
aerial drones, and cyberspace to support businesses. MPA anticipates
steady growth for Maritime Singapore in 2025, driven by the strong
tripartite cooperation with the industry, unions, government, a strong
maritime R&D community, and Singapore’s continued value offering as a
preferred hub for ship operations and maritime business. We will
continue to play a constructive role in facilitating international
agreements, including at the IMO, and will host the inaugural General
Assembly of the new International Organization for Marine Aids to
Navigation in February 2025. We will continue to review rules and
regulations to reduce business costs, enhance port efficiency and
readiness to meet the evolving needs of international shipping.
Source: MPA
https://www.xindemarinenews.com/en/ports/2025/0116/58044.html