Singapore finishes Tuas Port Phase 2 Northern Berth reclamation

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has completed reclamation for the Northern Berths of Tuas Port Phase 2, handing the site to PSA to begin terminal construction. This milestone secures the foundation for 21 new deep-water berths, a critical expansion for the world’s largest automated transshipment hub.

Reclamation for the area known as Finger 3 began in March 2018 and required over 24 million man-hours to finish. The project involved a joint venture between Penta-Ocean, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, and Boskalis, with Surbana Jurong serving as the consultant. This completion follows the November 2021 handover of Phase 1, where 14 berths are already operational.

The project required the installation of massive concrete caissons and extensive seawall construction. Beyond the engineering, MPA trialed biodegradable prefabricated vertical drains to improve the ground and relocated corals to Sultan Shoal to protect marine biodiversity during the works.

Why it matters

For container lines and charterers, this progress confirms Singapore’s ability to scale capacity ahead of global demand. When all four phases are finished in the 2040s, Tuas will handle 65 million TEUs annually. By consolidating operations and adding 21 deep-water berths in Phase 2, the port aims to maintain its transshipment dominance through automation and faster vessel turnaround times.

The completion of reclamation despite the pandemic-driven manpower shortages and supply-chain disruptions proves the project is physically on track. For shipowners, the scale of Phase 2 suggests Singapore is committed to handling the next generation of ultra-large container vessels that require deep-water access and high-speed automated handling.

The use of biodegradable drains and coral relocation sets a technical and regulatory precedent. As environmental scrutiny on maritime infrastructure grows, these methods show that MPA expects future expansions to meet higher sustainability standards without compromising engineering timelines.

What to watch

PSA will now begin building the terminal infrastructure on the reclaimed land. The next trigger for the market is the announcement of the operational dates for the first of these 21 new berths.

Source: MPA Singapore