Three new berths will start operations at Singapore Tuas Port later this year to tackle extended waiting times for ships after Red Sea shipping tensions boosted vessel arrivals, said Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA).

The diversion of vessels around the Cape of Good Hope has disrupted arrival schedules at major ports globally and has caused a “vessels bunching” effect for container vessels calling at Singapore this year, MPA said in a statement late Thursday.

The new berths will bring the total number of operating berths to 11 at Tuas Port and will help handle the higher container vessel arrivals.

Container volumes handled in Singapore in the first four months of 2024 hit 13.36 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), logging an 8.8% climb versus the same period last year.

This has led to alonger vessel waiting time for a container berth, said MPA.

For the tanker and bulk vessel segment, the resupply and bunkering activities take place within the anchorages so these are not affected, MPA added.

Some shippers were facing longer waits for deliveries and transits at the world’s largest bunker port inSingapore as refuelling demand and port calls rose due to ship diversions, industry sources told Reuters earlier this year.

Source: Reuters reported by Jeslyn Lerh and edited by Sohini Goswami