PUBLISHED ONApril 22, 2026 3:06 AMBYSean LerThe Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and PSA Singapore are calling for proposals to develop and test autonomous inter-gateway feeder vessel operations within the Port of Singapore.
In a joint press release on Wednesday (April 22), Singapore's port developer and operator said they have launched an expression of interest as part of efforts to explore autonomous technologies and assess their technological readiness, operational feasibility, and safety for use in port operations.
These vessels will be used to move containers between terminals within the Port of Singapore, such as between Tuas and Pasir Panjang terminals.
The expression of interest launched by MPA and PSA also includes plans for a remote operations centre, where information from vessels' sensors and port traffic data will be integrated to enable real-time monitoring and timely intervention.
Interested parties will be required to address key considerations such as navigation safety, interaction with manned vessels, traffic management, system redundancy, cybersecurity, human-machine interfaces, and regulatory compliance.
In May 2022, leading logistics provider DB Schenker, which also has a presence in Singapore, signed a pre-study agreement with furniture giant Ekornes, vessel designer Naval Dynamics, and maritime technology players Kongsberg and Massterly, as part of its plans to operate autonomous and electric container feeder vessels in Norway.
Singapore's port limits are among the world's busiest with approximately 1,000 vessels in the port, arriving around the clock at any one time.
"As autonomous capabilities advance, they are also expected to create new career opportunities, such as in remote vessel monitoring and operations, autonomous system engineering, maritime data analytics, and specialised technical maintenance roles," MPA and PSA said.
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