MPA, PSA seek autonomous vessel proposals to shuttle containers between S’pore terminals

SINGAPORE – Autonomous ships transporting containers between Singapore’s port terminals may become a reality in the future.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and port operator PSA Singapore on April 22 announced a call for proposals to develop and test the technology.

The two organisations said such ships – known as inter-gateway container feeder vessels – move containers between terminals, for instance, between the Tuas and Pasir Panjang terminals, and play a crucial role in daily port operations.

The call for design proposals is part of efforts to explore autonomous technologies, and assess their readiness, operational feasibility and safety for use in port operations, said MPA and PSA.

“As autonomous capabilities advance, they are also expected to create new career opportunities, such as in remote vessel monitoring and operations, autonomous systems engineering, maritime data analytics and specialised technical maintenance roles,” they said.

The call for proposals includes plans for a remote operations centre that will integrate information from the vessels’ sensors and port traffic data to allow real-time monitoring and timely interventions.

Applicants will need to deal with key considerations in their proposals, such as navigational safety, interaction with manned vessels, and compliance with regulations, said MPA and PSA. Submissions close on July 24 at noon.

Harnessing autonomous technology represents the next frontier for the maritime industry, and as one of the world’s busiest ports, Singapore is an ideal test bed, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai.

Speaking on the second day of Singapore Maritime Week at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, he said these new technologies promise significant gains in productivity, but Singapore’s digital infrastructure must be safeguarded to ensure that the sector is well placed to harness these technologies.

Automated vehicles and quay cranes are already being used in the first phase of Tuas Port, resulting in greater efficiency, labour productivity and safety, said Mr Murali.

Calling it a “quiet but undeniable revolution”, he noted that these technological advancements mark one of three structural changes affecting the industry.

Decarbonisation is another shift.

In that regard, MPA has inked an agreement with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The aim is to advance the adoption of alternative fuels and digital solutions globally, with the two parties working together to help developing nations build up their maritime capabilities.

Mr Murali said: “Climate change may have taken a back seat to geopolitical contests, but today, with the increasing volatility of energy markets, there is greater impetus and urgency for decarbonisation.”

Singapore’s focus is on decarbonising vessels, with harbour craft being the first in line.

From 2030, all new harbour craft operating in Singapore’s waters will need to be fully electric, capable of using B100 biofuel, a pure form of biodiesel made from renewable sources, or be compatible with net-zero fuels such as hydrogen.

Although electrification is showing strong potential, adoption is still in its early stages, with infrastructural support needed to encourage uptake.

To support electric harbour craft, Mr Murali said more chargers will be set up at key terminals and piers, such as the Marina South and West Coast piers, in the coming years. By 2030, a network will be established across the Republic’s southern coastline.

The last structural change concerns people.

Acknowledging that jobs in the maritime industry will evolve, Mr Murali announced several courses that will help prepare individuals for the future.

These include a new two-month cybersecurity programme starting in August 2026, jointly launched by MPA, the Singapore Shipping Association, Singapore Institute of Technology, and Singapore University of Technology and Design.

It will equip IT professionals with the skills to handle cyberthreats affecting maritime vessels, with about 70 participants expected yearly.

Singapore Management University will also launch the Industry Graduate Diploma in Maritime in August, which will equip mid-career professionals with technical and operational knowledge, and leadership know-how, Mr Murali said.

Even amid the challenges, he urged the industry to remain focused on its longer-term priorities in decarbonisation, preparing itself and its workforce for digitalisation, and investing in its people.

On April 22, MPA also announced that it had selected six firms out of 19 proposals submitted by 36 companies to test and develop robotic in-water hull inspections and cleaning solutions.

The firms will receive almost $3.7 million in total co-funding and will begin their trials in the second half of 2026.

In a question-and-answer session with MPA chief executive Ang Wee Keong, British shipping economist Martin Stopford likened the maritime industry to a supercharged car, which has been navigating a motorway for the past 15 to 20 years.

Today, however, it is traversing “windy roads”, with various considerations including the use of alternative fuels.

Dr Stopford said: “We are moving into a new era... where we’re preparing to use green fuels. But... you don’t get (them) for $2 a barrel by drilling a hole in the ground.”

Noting that producing such fuels is a costlier process, he told maritime leaders in the audience that the industry needs to carefully consider how it allocates and uses resources.

Separately, the Ministry of Transport issued a statement in the evening that outlined what took place during a closed-door ministerial roundtable at the event on April 21.

The meeting was chaired by Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow and attended by ministers and senior government officials from 11 countries. These included Brunei, China, India, Laos, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, as well as International Maritime Organization secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez.

They discussed how countries can collectively address shared challenges and seize opportunities to create a more resilient and future-ready maritime sector.

The ministry said the participants affirmed the critical importance of upholding and safeguarding freedom of navigation and the right of transit passage in accordance with international law.

“There was strong consensus that this was a shared responsibility and vital to ensuring safe and open global shipping lanes to the benefit of all users,” it said.

“As the backbone of global trade, the stability, sustainability and safety of the maritime sector were recognised as matters of shared international responsibility.”