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Singapore

UN/LOCODE SGSIN · Singapore · Asia-Pacific

Crew change hub
Photo of Singapore (SGSIN)
Original: Government of Singapore Vector: Zscout370 · Public domain · Source on Wikimedia Commons

Crew guide

Shore leave

Singapore is the world's most crew-friendly port. Shore leave is routinely granted to all seafarers with a valid seaman's book and a shore pass issued by the agent. Singapore is a signatory to ILO Convention 185 (Seafarers' Identity Documents) and processes SID-holders without a visitor visa. Most crew changes happen at the Singapore Cruise Centre, Pasir Panjang Terminal, or the Jurong/Tanjong Pagar areas; the agent will direct you to the right entry gate. Walking time from terminal to MRT (Singapore's clean, English-language metro) is 10-15 minutes at most berths. Mission to Seafarers (Singapore) operates a 24/7 centre in the western port area with full transport.

Walking distance + transit

Most container and bulk berths are 15-25 minutes drive from city centre via the agent's van. The cruise-passenger berth (Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore) is on the MRT directly. The Jurong area has port-side bus stops connecting to central MRT in 30 minutes. Almost every berth has the welfare centre's van service.

Essentials

  • ATMs: every MRT station and 7-Eleven (visa/master accepted; no fee at DBS/POSB ATMs)
  • Money changers: the gold-standard cluster is at The Arcade near Raffles Place MRT, or any major mall
  • Hospital: Singapore General Hospital (24/7 A&E, English-speaking), Tan Tock Seng Hospital, or Raffles Hospital for premium
  • Prayer rooms: every shopping mall, every MRT interchange, the welfare centre has prayer space
  • Halal/vegetarian food: ubiquitous — every food court has clearly-marked halal stalls and 70%+ of restaurants serve vegetarian
  • Supermarket: FairPrice, Cold Storage, NTUC, all open 8am-11pm
  • SIM card: Singtel, M1, StarHub at any 7-Eleven or airport; ~SG$15 for 30-day tourist plan with 100GB

Seafarer tips

Do: download the MyTransport.SG app for MRT/bus routing; use Grab for taxis (always cheaper than street taxis); declare any cash >SG$20,000 at customs. Don't: chew gum (still illegal), jaywalk on major roads, smoke outside designated areas. Watch for: the famous Singapore strictness — fines are real and enforced. Singapore is also Asia's principal seafarer-fraud awareness market; ITF and Mission to Seafarers have well-developed advocacy if you arrive with a wage or contract dispute.

Last verified: 2026-06-29. Confirm with ship's agent before going ashore — local policy changes.

Singapore (UN/LOCODE SGSIN) is a designated seaport with an adjacent airport in Singapore in the tropical northern Asia-Pacific region. The port operates on Asia/Singapore, uses the Singapore Dollar (SGD), runs shore power at 230V/50Hz (Type G). Nearest major airport for crew changes is Paya Lebar Air Base (QPG), 11 km from the port.

Reference

Coordinates
1.2833, 103.85
Time zone
Asia/SingaporeUTC +08:00no DST
Local currency
SGD— Singapore Dollar
Languages
en, zh, ms, ta
Nearest airport
QPGPaya Lebar Air Base~11 km
Electricity
230 V50 Hzplugs G(country default — verify at berth)
Climate
AfTropical rainforest

Country-coastal Köppen zone (most ports cluster on the coast). For port-coordinate resolution use Kottek 2006 0.5° grid.

Function codes
1--45---

seaport · airport · postal exchange

Port authority
Home | Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore

Operational details

Compiled from public port-authority and P&I-club directories. Always verify current contacts via your agent before arrival.

Pilotage / VTS

Singapore VTIS

P&I correspondents

  • · Spica Services (Singapore) — Gard, NEPIA, Britannia
  • · Thomas Miller (S.E. Asia) Pte — UK Club
  • · Pandiman Singapore

Port agents

  • · GAC Singapore
  • · Inchcape Shipping Services Singapore
  • · Wilhelmsen Ships Service Singapore

ISPS security level (normal): 1

World's busiest bunker port; mandatory pilotage in port limits; AIS reporting required at PSA terminals.

Helplines for seafarers in Singapore

Welfare, abandonment, wages, medical, mental health, harassment — 24/7 lines where available. See full helplines directory.

Other ports in Singapore

All ports in Singapore →

Survival information

Practical information for crew arriving here. Verified where possible — see sources. Spot a mistake or missing detail? Tell us.

Emergency contacts

  • Singapore Police (emergency): 999 · 24/7
  • Singapore Ambulance / Fire: 995 · 24/7
  • MPA Port Operations Control Centre (POCC): +65 6325 2488 · 24/7
  • ITF inspector — Singapore: +65 6379 5666 · business hours

Hospitals / clinics

  • Singapore General Hospital · 8 km
    Outram Road, Singapore 169608
    +65 6222 3322
  • Westpoint Family Clinic — Jurong (24h, port-near)
    +65 6566 9100

Shore leave

Singapore generally issues an in-port shore pass via the vessel's agent — no separate visa required to stay in the port area. To leave the port area (Sentosa, Marina Bay, transit to Changi for sign-off), most non-ASEAN nationalities need a regular Singapore tourist visa applied for in advance. Agents arrange the port pass on joining. Reference: ica.gov.sg/enter-depart.

Plan it: /tools/shore-leave-port-card

Transport

Nearest major airport: Paya Lebar Air Base (QPG (~11 km)). Vessel agent normally arranges taxi or seafarer-centre shuttle to/from the airport at sign-on / sign-off. Confirm transport with the agent at least 24 hours before disembarkation.

SIM & Wi-Fi

Major operators: Singtel, StarHub, M1. Tourist SIM with data available at Changi (T1-T4 arrivals) or 7-Eleven citywide. Free Wi-Fi at Mission to Seafarers Singapore (Mariner's Club, 37 Kian Teck Road) + Stella Maris. Port terminals have spotty Wi-Fi — buy a Singtel hi! prepaid SIM for reliability.

Consular contacts

Related rights: shore leave · medical care · abandonment · unpaid wages.

Port-state-control region: tokyo MoU · how to file a PSC complaint.

Singapore: seafarer FAQ

Is shore leave allowed at Singapore?
Shore leave at Singapore: Singapore generally issues an in-port shore pass via the vessel's agent — no separate visa required to stay in the port area. To leave the port area (Sentosa, Marina Bay, transit to Changi for sign-off), most non-ASEAN nationalities need a regular Singapore tourist visa applied for in advance. Agents arrange the port pass on joining. Reference: ica.gov.sg/enter-depart.. Shore leave policy is set by the port authority, the flag administration, and the visa regime of Singapore. Confirm with the agent before stepping ashore.
What visa or shore-pass do I need for Singapore?
Seafarers calling at Singapore on a vessel are generally exempt from regular tourist visas under Convention 108 / 185 (Seafarers' Identity Documents) if their flag administration has ratified the convention and they hold an SID. The standard document is the seaman's book + ship's crew list. Singapore may also require a shore pass issued by the agent. Confirm before you board the vessel — visa rules vary by nationality and by recent immigration-policy changes.
Is there a seafarer welfare centre at Singapore?
Yes — 3 seafarer welfare centres are listed for Singapore in our directory. The centres are typically run by the Mission to Seafarers, Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea), or a regional ministry, and offer wifi, transport, shop, chaplaincy, and advocacy. Walk-in is normal; no appointment needed.
Is there a crisis or welfare helpline I can call from Singapore?
Yes — 6 helplines are listed for Singapore in our directory, plus ISWAN's 24-hour multilingual SeafarerHelp (+44 20 7323 2737) and the ITF Helpline. Helplines handle crisis support, abandonment, wage theft, mental health, and bereavement.
What's the nearest hospital to Singapore?
Most major ports have a port-area hospital with seafarer-accustomed admissions; the welfare centre and the ship's agent can both advise. For serious cases, the nearest international hospital is normally in the same city or the next major city. The nearest major airport is Paya Lebar Air Base (QPG), about 11 km away — useful for medevac planning.
Is Singapore a recognised crew-change port?
Yes — Singapore is listed in our directory of recognised crew-change hubs, consolidated from IMO MSC.1/Circ.1636, ICS/IFSMA briefings, and ITF priority-port reports. Recognised hubs typically have better port-state and immigration facilitation for crew-change operations, faster visa processing for seafarers, and more welfare-centre presence.

For the arriving crew

Sources & verification (14)
  • country_iso3 · ISO 3166-1 (SG)retrieved 2026-05-05
  • country_name · ISO 3166-1 (SG)retrieved 2026-05-05
  • currency_code · ISO 4217:2015 (SGD)retrieved 2026-05-05
  • currency_name · ISO 4217:2015 (SGD)retrieved 2026-05-05
  • languages · CIA World Factbook (public domain), national-language listing (SG)retrieved 2026-05-05
  • timezone_iana · IANA tz database (Asia/Singapore)retrieved 2026-05-05
  • timezone_utc_offset · ECMA-402 Intl.DateTimeFormat (computed) (Asia/Singapore)retrieved 2026-05-05
  • timezone_dst · ECMA-402 Intl.DateTimeFormat (computed) (Asia/Singapore)retrieved 2026-05-05
  • electricity · IEC TR 60083 plug-and-socket standard list (SG)retrieved 2026-05-05
  • function_codes_expanded · UNECE Rec. 16 — UN/LOCODE function-code mask (1--45---)retrieved 2026-05-05
  • nearest_major_airport · OurAirports (CC0) — davidmegginson.github.io/ourairports-data (QPG)retrieved 2026-05-07
  • wikidata_qid · Wikidata SPARQL (P1937 UN/LOCODE join) (Q334)retrieved 2026-05-07
  • osm_relation_id · Wikidata SPARQL (P1937 UN/LOCODE join) (Q334)retrieved 2026-05-07
  • climate_classification · Kottek et al. 2006 / Beck et al. 2018 — country-coastal Köppen zone (SG)retrieved 2026-05-07

Last verified

High confidence

Editorial confidence: how we grade. Data sources and methodology: /sources.