The Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) is strengthening its capabilities to support a more digital and increasingly multi-fuel shipping sector, as it marks 60 years since its establishment in 1966.

At the SRS Forum on 2 October 2026, which was attended by industry and union partners, Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport Mr Murali Pillai highlighted the importance of continued partnerships as Singapore strengthens the SRS amid the maritime industry’s digital and green transition.

Modernising the Registry
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will launch a new ship registration system in the first half of 2027 to simplify the registration process and make it more seamless for shipowners and ship agents. The new system will integrate the end-to-end registration process, from application submission to certificate issuance. It will also incorporate AI capabilities to support the vetting and processing of applications. Processing time for standard applications will be reduced from up to three working days to just a few minutes, with certificates issued upon completion.

Shipowners and ship agents will also have greater visibility over the status of their applications. MPA will invite industry stakeholders to participate in pilot trials in the coming months to refine the system ahead of its launch.

A growing and evolving Singapore-registered fleet
Since its establishment in 1966, the SRS has grown to more than 4,400 vessels. As at 31 December 2025, the SRS reached a record 137 million gross tonnage (GT), a 27% increase from the previous year, making Singapore the world’s fourth-largest ship registry. With an average vessel age of about 11 years, the SRS is also currently the youngest fleet among the world’s top ten ship registries. Singapore continues to rank among the leading flags under the Tokyo and Paris Memoranda of Understanding on Port State Control, and qualifies for the United States Coast Guard’s QUALSHIP 21 programme.

The Singapore-registered fleet is also evolving as shipping companies adopt alternative fuels. Since 2020, eight methanol-fuelled vessels have been registered with the SRS. The SRS is expected to flag its first ammonia dual-fuelled vessel next month.

A record 74 vessels from 28 companies qualified for MPA’s Green Ship Programme this year for adopting solutions that exceeded the prevailing environmental regulatory requirements. Seaspan Corporation was recognised for contributing the highest net tonnage to the SRS in 2025/2026. The list of SRS Award recipients is in the Annex.

Developing Singapore’s maritime talent
At the Forum, 13 local seafarers were also recognised under the Sail Milestone Achievement Programme (SailMAP). Since its launch in 2022, SailMAP has supported more than 100 local seafarers in progressing towards higher levels of shipboard competency, contributing to efforts to strengthen Singapore’s maritime talent pipeline.