S'pore port retains 'world's busiest' crown

S'pore port retains 'world's busiest' crown

SINGAPORE (AFP): The port of Singapore remained the world's
busiest last year in terms of shipping tonnage, the Maritime and
Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in its 1999 annual report
released Thursday.

During the year, more than 141,000 vessels, totaling 877
million gross tons called at the port. The arrival rate averaged
one vessel every 3.75 minutes.

Total cargo tonnage reached 326 million tons, up from 312
million in 1998, while container traffic increased 5.3 percent to
15.94 million 20-foot equivalent units.

The Singapore registry of ships grew to more than 23 million
gross tons, making it the seventh largest in the world and the
largest in Asia, according to the report.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) listed Singapore as the 11th most important maritime
nation in the world.

Financially, the MPA returned a net surplus of S$84.7 million
(US$48.4 million) after contributing to the consolidated fund, up
from S$80.1 million the previous year.

Despite the positive figures, MPA chairman Peter Ho said there
remained a need to "think of new and creative ways" to meet the
demands of shipping lines.

"In the face of intensifying regional port competition, and
the burgeoning clout of shipping alliances, we must step up our
efforts to maintain our hub port status," he said.