Singapore’s port handled 6.1 per cent more containers in the first four months of 2025 than in the same period in 2024, despite disruptions to supply chains caused by tariffs imposed by the United States.

Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said container throughput reached 14.18 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) between January and April 2025.

“Container (throughput) has remained strong despite what’s happening around the world, with greater turbulence, uncertainty and shifts in global supply chains,” he said, adding that the Government is continuing to monitor the fluid situation.

He explained that the growth could have come from companies trying to front-load shipments ahead of the implementation of higher tariff rates by the Americans.

Mr Chee was speaking to reporters during a visit on May 16 to the PSA Pasir Panjang Terminal Building, where he had been inspecting an ongoing trial to use autonomous prime movers.

On May 12, the US and China had agreed to suspend part of their tariffs on their respective exports for 90 days.

This was the latest development in what has become a tit-for-tat exchange between the two superpowers over trade since US President Donald Trump announced sweeping global tariffs on April 2.

When asked if there are contingency plans in the event of a slowdown in the medium term, Mr Chee said that this is being handled by the task force chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry.

“In the near term, we will be monitoring the situation and where necessary, the Government will intervene to help our companies and workers,” Mr Chee added.

The largest port operator here, PSA Singapore handled 40.9 million TEUs in 2024, an increase of 5.6 per cent over 2023.

Mr Chee said Singapore can strengthen its competitiveness by making what he called “no-regret moves”.

These include investment in productivity improvements and technology, attracting new investment, and working with existing players to expand their operations in Singapore.

He said that vessel certification organisations like the American Bureau of Shipping, the China Classification Society and Rina will be investing more than $20 million over the next five years in Singapore, focusing on areas such as maritime safety and electrification.

Mr Chee also said PSA will be recruiting more than 2,500 staff in 2025 to support the development of Tuas Port, which now has 11 berths in operation, with plans for another seven to be added by 2027. The roles include those in front-line port operations, information technology and data science.

Noting the role that technology can play to boost Singapore’s competitiveness and productivity, Mr Chee said that efforts like the trial to deploy autonomous vehicles at Pasir Panjang Terminal will help address the shortage of drivers of heavy vehicles.

For instance, the use of autonomous prime movers, which are currently employed to transport trailers carrying containers within the port, could be expanded.

Mr Chee said the next step will be to work with the Land Transport Authority to identify how such technologies can be taken onto the roads beyond the port.

This could mean plying routes between Pasir Panjang and Tuas or between Tuas Port and the surrounding industrial estates, he said.

The trial of autonomous prime movers started in 2023, and PSA currently has 30 prime movers in its fleet.

Currently, each vehicle is supervised by a human controller in the command centre who can take over if an issue arises.

Eventually, fewer controllers will be required to manage the vehicles, reducing manpower demands.

Source: Straits Times