Container throughput up 6.1% in 2025 despite tariff uncertainty: Minister

PSA to hire more than 2,500 staff this year to support Tuas Port, says Chee Hong Tat

- Lee Nian Tjoe

Singapore's port handled 6.1 percent more containers in the first four months of 2025 than in the same period in 2024, despite disruptions to supply chains caused by tariffs imposed by the United States.

Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said container throughput reached 14.18 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) between January and April 2025.

"Container (throughput) has remained strong despite what's happening around the world, with greater turbulence, uncertainty and shifts in global supply chains," he said, adding that the Government is continuing to monitor the fluid situation.

He explained that the growth could have come from companies trying to front-load shipments ahead of the implementation of higher tariff rates by the Americans.

Mr Chee was speaking to reporters during a visit on May 16 to the PSA Pasir Panjang Terminal Building, where he had been inspecting an ongoing trial to use autonomous prime movers.

On May 12, the US and China had agreed to suspend part of their tariffs on their respective exports for 90 days.