Singapore: Container Throughput Grew by 8.7% in 2018

The Port of Singapore maintained a stable performance in 2018. Container throughput grew by 8.7 per cent to 36.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), and total cargo throughput remained stable at 630 million tonnes.

Singapore also retained its position as the world’s leading bunkering port, said a press release from Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

Singapore continues to be home to a diverse range of maritime businesses, with more than 5,000 maritime establishments in Singapore generating over 170,000 jobs, it said.

Overall, the maritime sector contributed some 7 per cent to Singapore's Gross Domestic Product, said Dr Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health.

Container throughput in Singapore hit 36.6 million TEUs in 2018, which is an 8.7 per cent increase from the 33.7 million TEUs registered in 2017. Total cargo throughput handled last year reached 630 million tonnes, which is close to 2017’s level.

Annual vessel arrival tonnage reached 2.79 billion gross tonnes (GT) in 2018, similar to the 2.8 billion GT achieved in 2017.

Singapore retained its position as the world's top bunkering port in 2018, with annual bunker sales volume close to the 50 million-tonne mark for the second year consecutively.

The Singapore Registry of Ships continues to rank among the five largest ship registries worldwide, reflecting Singapore’s reputation as a quality flag of choice for international ship owners and operators. The total tonnage of ships under the Singapore flag climbed 2.4 per cent from 2017’s 88.8 million GT to reach 90.9 million GT in 2018.