Singapore achieved excellent port and maritime growth in 2005. This is reflected in the new records set by the Singapore port in shipping tonnage, container throughput, cargo throughput, bunker sales and ship registration. The port and maritime achievements were announced by Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Minister of State for Finance and Transport at a maritime industry event.

Shipping Tonnage

The Singapore port retained its position as the world's busiest port for shipping tonnage. For the second time in Singapore's maritime history, total vessel arrivals in terms of shipping tonnage crossed the one billion mark with 1.15 billion gross tons (GT) in 2005. This new record outstripped 2004's 1.04 billion GT by 10.5 per cent year-on-year.

Container and Cargo Throughput

Container traffic increased by 8.7 per cent to hit 23.2 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in 2005 from 21.3 million in 2004, setting a new record for the Singapore port. A healthy growth rate was also recorded for cargo throughput. The total cargo tonnage handled by the port rose by 7.6 per cent year-on-year to 423 million tonnes in 2005.

Singapore's Container Throughput 2001 to 2005
Year Container Throughput

2001 15.57 million TEUs
2002 16.94 "
2003 18.41 "
2004 21.33 "
2005 23.19 "

Bunker Sales

For the first time in port history, sales of ship fuel here crossed the 25 million tonnes mark. The new record surpassed 2004's sales of 23.6 million tonnes by 8.1 per cent, securing Singapore's position as the top bunkering port in the world.

The Singapore Registry of Ships

Another new best was in the registration of ships under the Singapore flag. As at end December 2005, the total tonnage of ships on register was 33 million GT, an impressive double-digit growth of 19 per cent from 27.7 million gross tons a year before. With the more than 3,200 Singapore-registered ships, Singapore has 5th largest merchant fleet in the world, also the largest in Asia.

PSA Singapore Terminals is the world's largest container transhipment hub in Singapore where it links shippers to an excellent network of 200 shipping lines with connections to 600 ports in 123 countries. Shippers have access to daily sailings to every major port in the world at this mega hub.

It was voted the "Best Container Terminal Operator (Asia) for the 16th time at the 2005 Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards, "Best Container Terminal" at the Lloyd's List Maritime Asia Awards 2005 for the sixth time since its inauguration in 1999 and "Container Terminal of the Year" at the Asia Logistics Awards 2005 for the third time.