Three new berths will start operations at Singapore Tuas Port later on this year to take on extended waiting times for ships after Red Sea shipping tensions boosted vessel arrivals, stated Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA).

The diversion of vessels around the Cape of Excellent Hope has interfered with arrival schedules at major ports internationally and has caused a vessels bunching result for container vessels calling at Singapore this year, MPA said in a declaration late Thursday.

The brand-new berths will bring the total variety of operating berths to 11 at Tuas Port and will help manage the greater container vessel arrivals.

Container volumes handled in Singapore in the very first 4 months of 2024 hit 13.36 million 20-foot equivalent units ( TEUs), logging an 8.8% climb versus the exact same duration last year.

This has resulted in a longer vessel waiting time for a container berth, said MPA.

For the tanker and bulk vessel section, the resupply and bunkering activities occur within the anchorages so these are not affected, MPA included.

Some carriers were facing longer awaits deliveries and transits at the world's biggest bunker port in Singapore as refuelling demand and port calls increased due to deliver diversions, industry sources informed Reuters earlier this year.