The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has announced that it is working to significantly streamline the ship registration process by launching a new AI-based platform. This new system is set to be operational in the first half of 2027 and will reduce the standard registration time from a maximum of three working days to just a few minutes.
Details of the New Ship Registration Platform
The new platform is designed to cover all stages of the ship registration process, from submitting requests to issuing ship registration certificates. The use of artificial intelligence in this system will facilitate the evaluation and processing of requests. Additionally, ship owners and their representatives will be able to track the status of their applications through this system, and certificates will be issued immediately after successful processing.
Start of Pilot Tests and Recent Developments
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has also planned to initiate pilot tests in the coming months with the active participation of industry stakeholders. This initiative is part of a significant expansion of the Singapore flag, with the registration of Singaporean ships reaching a record 137 million tons GT by the end of 2025, reflecting a 27 percent increase compared to the previous year. With over 4,400 ships registered, Singapore ranks fourth among the largest registries in the world, and its fleet's average age of about 11 years is the youngest among the top 10 flags.
Furthermore, Singapore has strengthened its oversight of registrations. Recently, the MPA has warned owners and representatives that identity, ownership, registration, and commercial information of ships provided in connection with port entry may lead to enforcement actions if found to be incorrect or unverifiable. These concerns have arisen due to a global increase in fraudulent registrations and flag changes.
