Singapore Cruise Centre officially opened its new HarbourFront ferry and cruise terminal in Singapore on September 22, 2026, completing a 24-month development and testing period, with Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai as guest of honour. The terminal has handled more than 720,000 passengers since full operations began on July 15 and uses automated passenger and baggage processing on a single platform for ferry and cruise operations, strengthening a key sea gateway linking Singapore with the Riau Islands and southern Johor.
Key Facts At A Glance
- The new Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront) terminal was officially opened on September 22, 2026, after 24 months of development and testing.
- Full operations began on July 15, 2026, and the terminal had handled more than 720,000 ferry and cruise passengers as of the opening.
- The terminal averages 73 ferry departures a day and more than 100 cruise calls a year.
- A new departure control system, developed with travel technology company Sqiva, runs ferry and cruise operations on one platform.
- Facilities include six self-service bag-drop machines, six automated boarding gates and 46 automated immigration lanes that clear passengers by facial biometrics instead of passports.
- On August 8, the terminal processed 18,000 departing passengers in a single day.
- Passenger waiting areas are about 50 per cent larger than at the former facility.
Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) marked the official opening of its new HarbourFront terminal on Tuesday, September 22, bringing to a close a 24-month development and testing programme meant to support the next phase of regional ferry and cruise travel. Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai attended as guest of honour. The terminal had already been running at full capacity for about two months: SCC said it had been in full operation since July 15 and had carried more than 720,000 ferry and cruise passengers.
The new building sits about 70 metres from the former facility. It handles an average of 73 ferry departures a day and more than 100 cruise calls a year. SCC’s leadership at the ceremony included chief executive officer Jacqueline Tan and chairman Loh Lik Peng.
Integrated Systems And Automated Processing
The main change is a new passenger departure control system built by SCC with travel technology company Sqiva. It sits on SCC’s Cruise and Ferry Operating System and puts ferry and cruise operations on one platform, covering check-in, baggage processing and boarding. It is also connected to an automated baggage handling system that tracks bags in real time.
Eligible ferry passengers who buy tickets online can use self-service facilities to validate their passports, check in, and collect boarding passes and baggage tags in under a minute. The terminal has six self-service bag-drop machines and six automated boarding gates. Its 46 automated immigration lanes clear passengers by facial biometrics instead of passports, using the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s automated border clearance system.
Tan said linking systems that had previously operated separately would make journeys simpler for passengers and give staff a clearer view of operations. Murali said technology and innovation will matter more in making travel smoother as travel patterns change, and noted that Singapore’s ferry and cruise networks connect people across the region for both business and leisure.
SCC is also working with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore on a trial of a Maritime Digital Twin. The system gives a real-time view of vessel movements, which could let the terminal plan berthing and staffing earlier.
Capacity And Passenger Flow
All ferry operators now share one level of the main concourse; at the former terminal they were spread across two floors. Waiting areas are about 50 per cent larger than before. Checked bags are screened before they reach the carousel, so arriving passengers can collect them and go straight to the exit.
SCC said these changes have helped the terminal cope with peak periods. On August 8 it processed 18,000 departing passengers in a single day.
Cruise Operations And Regional Links
For cruise passengers, the terminal offers kerbside baggage drop, 12 coach bays for shore excursion transfers and a 70-seat VIP lounge. Its cruise traffic includes homeported, international luxury and expedition sailings. On the ferry side, HarbourFront is part of SCC’s network linking Singapore with the Riau Islands and southern Johor, including Batam Centre and Harbour Bay.