Instead of the bright blooms of fireworks, this year's end-of-year celebrations at Marina Bay will feature 60 moving beams of light.

The bay will be lit up every night this month by the circular formation of 60 lights which will produce the beams for the festive show.

They are mounted on the floor of The Promontory, the usual location for the New Year countdown celebrations.

The circle is roughly 38m in diameter. And every 15 minutes, the lights will put on a "performance" for three minutes.

Titled "Shine a Light", the show will run daily from 8pm to 10.30pm, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) yesterday.

The light show - and display - is a Covid-19 safety move to minimise the crowds that typically congregate in Marina Bay every year for the New Year's Eve countdown celebration.

But at the same time, it represents a new beginning for the country after a difficult year, according to URA's director of place management Jason Chen.

He said: "Shine a Light is designed to symbolise unity, positivity and resilience.

"Through the collective projection of light rays into the sky, (it) signifies a guiding beacon that underpins Singaporeans' spirit in overcoming the challenges arising from the pandemic and determination to emerge stronger in the new year as a nation."

The lights will stay lit but static when not "performing".

The URA advises visitors to the light show to adhere to safe management measures and avoid the area if it appears crowded, and to return later.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has doused the flames of countdown joy at Marina Bay, the URA earlier said fireworks will light up the heartland skies in different locations across Singapore.

These locations have yet to be announced.

Last year, an eight-minute fireworks display in the bay area was the highlight of the Marina Bay Countdown 2020, the 15th edition of the annual event.