Biometric passport clearance, more dining options for travellers at new HarbourFront terminal

SINGAPORE – Travellers heading to nearby islands from HarbourFront will soon be able to skip the queue at the counters and print their own boarding passes at self-service kiosks before getting on a ferry.

And if hunger pangs hit, a wide array of options – including popular sandwich chain Subway – will be available for them to grab some food for the journey.

These new facilities, including biometric passport clearance, will be rolled out when the new Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront) terminal begins operations in stages over the next two weeks.

Batam Fast Ferry will be the first operator to commence services at the new terminal, starting July 7.

The other four ferry operators – Horizon Fast Ferry, Majestic Fast Ferry, Sindo Ferry and Indo Falcon Shipping and Travel – and international cruise operations will follow suit on July 15.

There will be no changes to the routes and schedules at the new terminal, and both ferry services and cruises will continue as usual.

The ferry and cruise berth locations will also remain unchanged.

Other amenities at the new terminal include nursing rooms and prayer rooms, wheelchair lifts for passengers who require them, as well as charging points for electric vehicles.

The new terminal, at 5 HarbourFront Avenue, is housed in a red terracotta building 70m from HarbourFront Centre, where the international ferry terminal has been operating for nearly 35 years.

HarbourFront Centre opened in 1978, when it was called the World Trade Centre building. The trade centre included exhibition halls that stood where VivoCity now stands.

After renovation works, the World Trade Centre building was renamed HarbourFront Centre before reopening in February 2003.

The mall at HarbourFront Centre will close from July 27, paving the way for the site to be redeveloped into a 33-storey mixed-use building with office and retail spaces, as well as an elevated park.

On July 2, The Straits Times visited the terminal while it was undergoing checks and test runs to ensure everything was in order before it opened to travellers.

On the ground floor, there were 25 self-service kiosks for checking in – similar to those found at Changi Airport. Travellers who prefer a human touch can use the counters managed by the ferry operators.

Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) corporate services vice-president Sean Tan said travellers can expect more food options, such as curry puff chain Old Chang Kee, which will be among the more than 10 tenants in both the departure and arrival areas.

Baggage drops will be on the same floor – a departure from the previous layout, where ticketing and baggage drop-off facilities were on different levels of the terminal.

SCC chief executive Jacqueline Tan said: “Now, even if you buy tickets online, you still have to go to the ferry operator to collect your boarding pass.”

All the new conveniences are aimed at giving travellers a “more pleasurable start” to their journey, she added.

During peak travel periods, when crowds are larger, cruise check-in counters on the second floor, when not in use, can be converted into additional seating.

Apart from the Subway outlet and a 7-Eleven convenience store, there will also be a VIP lounge for cruise passengers on the second floor that can accommodate up to 70 people.

Past the security checks, immigration clearance will employ facial biometrics, and those enrolled to use the technology will not have to produce a passport.

The departure area has six automated boarding gates, with room to add two more if needed.

For arriving passengers, the terminal features 26 automated clearance lanes that are expected to speed up immigration clearance.