29 January 2004
The Singapore port and maritime sector performed well in 2003.
Shipping Tonnage and Vessel Calls
2 Singapore is set to remain the world���s busiest port for shipping tonnage with its
new record of 986.4 million gross tons (GT) achieved for shipping tonnage in 2003.
The new benchmark surpassed 2002's 971.7 million GT with a 1.5 per cent growth
year-on-year. The increase was achieved despite a 5.2 per cent fall in vessel calls to
135,386 calls in 2003.
3 Container ships contributed the major share with 361.0 million GT or 36.6 per
cent of the total shipping tonnage. Next highest for shipping tonnage were tankers
with 311.8 million GT (31.6 per cent of total shipping tonnage).
Container and Cargo Throughput
4 The Singapore port also handled a record container throughput of 18.41 million
TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2003, up 8.7 percent from the 16.94 million
TEUs handled in 2002.
5 Total cargo handled for 2003 was 347.69 million tonnes, up 3.8 per cent from
335.12 million tonnes in 2002.
Bunker Sales
6 Bunker sales for Singapore saw an increase of 3.5 per cent from a total of 20.1
million bunkers sold in 2002 to 20.8 million tonnes of bunkers sold last year. The new
amount of 20.8 million tonnes erased the previous record of 20.35 million tonnes set in
2001. With the 20.8 million tonnes of bunkers sold, Singapore is set to remain the top
bunkering port in the world for 2003.
2
The Singapore Merchant Fleet
7 As of end 2003, the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) achieved a new record
of 25.57 million GT with 3,063 vessels. This marked an increase of 8.6 per cent from
the 23.55 million GT registered in 2002. The SRS remains the 7th largest merchant
fleet in the world, and the largest in Asia.
8 Some of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)'s initiatives
introduced to keep the Singapore port attractive included the 20 per cent port dues
concession for container ships. Additionally, it introduced a 50 per cent concession on
port dues for all cruise ships calling at Singapore, and for regional ferries and
passenger-carrying harbour craft using the Singapore port from May to December
2003. This port dues concession was introduced as part of the overall SARS Relief
Package to help the cruise, ferry and harbour craft operators tide over the tough
operating conditions.
9 Measures were also introduced to strengthen the integrity of the bunker trade,
thereby attracting more ships to take bunkers in Singapore. These included
intensifying bunker quality checks and the Custody Transfer Sampling requirement for
'Ship-to-Ship' transfer of bunkers and bunker tankers loading at terminals.
10 The rise in ships flagging with Singapore could be attributed to the SRS'
continued reputation as a quality registry and the attractiveness of its Block Transfer
Scheme (BTS). The BTS provides an 80 per cent discount from the initial registration
fee to ship owners registering a group of vessels. The BTS was further enhanced
recently. Since January 2004, all ships registered with the SRS under the BTS would
be exempted from the tax payable on interests of offshore loans taken to finance these
ships.
11 Looking ahead, RAdm (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Chief Executive, MPA, said: "The
MPA as champion agency for the development of Singapore as an International
Maritime Centre will continue to spearhead the overall efforts in developing and
promoting the maritime sectors as an entire cluster. We will work closely with the
industry to identify new initiatives and promote ourselves more aggressively."
3
Singapore's Shipping Tonnage, Container Throughput and Bunker Sales ���
1999 to 2003
Year Shipping Tonnage Container Throughput Bunker Volume
(million GT) (million TEUs) (million Tonnes)
1999 877.1 15.94 18.89
2000 910.2 17.09 18.65
2001 960.1 15.57 20.35
2002 971.7 16.94 20.10
2003 986.4 18.41 20.81
Source: Strategic Planning Department, MPA
End of Release.
