Smart buoys set to help boost safety in Singapore waters

Data collected on marine environment will be transmitted in real time to port authority

- Vanessa Paige Chelvan

Eight smart buoys will be installed progressively in Singapore's waterways from 2026, as part of a push by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to use technology to boost safety at sea.

The buoys will be equipped with sensors that can collect data about the marine environment, such as currents, and transmit it in real time to MPA to help it monitor Singapore's waters, the agency said.

"These smart buoys serve as digital sentinels supporting safe navigation," said Senior Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai on July 15.

He announced MPA's plans in his opening address at the International Safety@Sea Week, which is being held at the Conrad Singapore Marina Bay.

MPA said data collected from the smart buoys will be used for marine traffic management, incident response planning and environmental monitoring and modelling.

"The data can also be shared with government agencies, institutes of higher learning and research institutes to support various use cases to benefit Singapore," the agency said.

It added that the smart buoys will be installed within Singapore's port waters where marine traffic is high and where data collected may be useful for environmental modelling.

In the future, these smart buoys may also be used to relay information to ships and warn of adverse weather conditions, Mr Murali said.