PASSENGER SHIPPING IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Shipping plays an important role in the economic development and growth of Singapore. The emphasis has, however, always been on cargo shipping; while passenger shipping has received little academic and official attention. This exercise attempts to throw more light on this aspect of shipping in Singapore. A historical background is first presented beginning with a brief account of the discovery of Singapore by Chinese travellers in the third century A.D. This is followed by a description of the growth of Singapore as the major focus of sea-communications up to the early 20th century, covering the major developments in transportation such as the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, the improvements in road and rail networks between Singapore and Malaysia and the improvements in aircraft technology. These have had a tremendous impact on passenger shipping. An analysis of passenger shipping trends for Europe, Asia, Oceania to and from Singapore over a period of twenty three years from 1957 - 1979 is then given, 1957 being the year from which such data is readily available. During this period, there has been a drastic decline in sea-passenger traffic and a corresponding rise in air-passenger traffic. Traffic to and from Indonesia, is the only exception that has registered a substantial increase in sea-passengers. In the survey of present-day passenger shipping patterns for Singapore, three main features are identified. ' First, the inter-island shipping services between Singapore and her offshore islands are expanding. This is due to the further expansion of recreational facilities on the offshore resort islands as well as the industrial expansion programmes carried out in the other offshore islands. Domestic inter-island passenger ferry services therefore play an increasingly important component in the overall passenger transport network in Singapore. Second, the ferry services between Singapore and · the Rhio Islands are expanding because of the lack of alternative modes of passenger transport as well as the demands of economic development projects carried out on islands such as Batam. A detailed description of the nationalities, occupations, sex ratio and age structure of the passengers from the Rhio Islands is given in Chapter S. Third, international passenger shipping as a mode of long-distance passenger transport has declined in importance. This may be inferred from the reduction in the number of Singapore-India and Singapore-China passages and passengers which may be attributed to the weakening of kinship ties with "mother homeland" (Singapore being an immigrant society) as well as to the increased provision and use of air transport services. However, international passenger shipping for holiday cruise purposes are increasing in popularity and demand, especially those plying the Southeast Asian routes. Singapore is playing a key role in 'this aspect as a home port for these cruises because of her good port, telecommunication and other facilities. The future of passenger shipping for Singapore appears therefore, to focus on regional holiday cruises arid short-distance inter-island ferry services.