According to the Review of Maritime Transport 2008 published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global seaborne trade will increase by 44 percent in 2020 and double by 2031. This would consequently lead to an increase in the volume of maritime traffic through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SoMS).
The preliminary findings from the SoMS capacity study by SimPlus showed that there is still sufficient room for vessel traffic growth in the SoMS. The study was commisioned by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the findings were shared with MPA’s counterparts in Indonesia and Malaysia at a meeting in Singapore earlier this month, which was also attended by a number of user states and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The findings were later shared with the local industry players, academia and media. The study commenced in April 2009 and the next phase will examine possible measures that can enhance the carriage capacity of the Singapore Strait. The full text of the working paper released can be seen here, and news reports from different media sources can be found at the following sites, among others: Business Times, Straits Times, Channel NewsAsia, Lloyd’s List, Lianhe Zaobao.
