PSA breaks ground on new $647.5m supply chain hub

Set to be completed in 2027, one-stop facility aims to keep Tuas Port competitive

- Kok Yufeng

Port operator PSA broke ground on a new $647.5 million Tuas warehousing facility equipped with advanced robotics and automation systems on Oct 18, as part of its efforts to sharpen Tuas Port's competitive edge.

Construction of the new facility comes as Singapore looks set to handle a record-breaking container volume of 40 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2024.

Spanning more than 185,000 sq m and located within the limits of Singapore's new mega port, the new PSA supply chain hub is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2027.

Speaking at an event to officially mark the start of construction work, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the hub will improve the Republic's ability to handle cargo shipments.

PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said the new hub will have facilities to handle dangerous goods, as well as goods that require cold storage. This will allow it to process higher-value cargo, such as pharmaceuticals and chemicals that require special handling.

“Currently, businesses that want such services have to truck their cargo out of the port, incurring duties, and then truck it back to the port for shipping again. This takes time, and it adds up to additional costs,” he said.

With the new supply chain hub, companies will be able to tap these specialised cargo handling services under one roof within the same free trade zone as Tuas Port, he noted. Custom duties are not charged on goods that are stored in such free trade zones.