Port of Singapore

Singapore is the second busiest port in the world and China’s biggest trade partner. In the early stages of the outbreak, it was one of the first major ports to be affected.

It was also one of the first to react and very soon implemented strict temperature scanning procedures on seafarers from incoming vessels.

Some visitors from China were not allowed to enter the country, in particular those who had been in the Hubei province and/or Wuhan.

As of 12 March 2020, there have been 166 cases of coronavirus in Singapore, 93 of which have fully recovered. There are currently no deaths linked to the outbreak.

However, fears have also been raised over Singapore’s Tuas mega-port project. In early March 2020, Singapore’s Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said it was one of several major infrastructure projects that could be delayed if the crisis isn’t solved.

The Tuas project is the biggest in the maritime industry and will be the biggest port in the world once it is completed.

It is due to be fully operational by 2040, by which time it will have a capacity of 65 million TEU.