Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – Singapore's Housing and Development Board (HDB) officially announced the reclamation plan for the Keppel and Tanjong Pagar waterfront area on April 10th (Friday), after approving the environmental assessment report. Upon completion, the project will create a continuous landmass of 213 hectares (approximately 60% of Marina Bay's area) between the harbor and Marina Bay, providing crucial land support for the overall development of the southern waterfront area. New cruise terminal facilities may be planned for the future.
According to the plan, the first phase of the reclamation project is expected to take approximately three years, involving land reclamation work in the waters southwest of the Marina Bay Cruise Centre to create a pointed protruding landmass extending approximately 1.8 kilometers outward from the existing Marina South Pier fishing area. In response to inquiries from Lianhe Zaobao, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) stated that this triangular newly created landmass is related to the ongoing study on future waterfront development, and more details will be disclosed once the planning is finalized.
It is noteworthy that Singapore's cruise industry infrastructure is undergoing a restructuring. According to reports in 2024, the Singapore Tourism Board was exploring long-term integration solutions for the cruise industry's infrastructure, but clarified that there were currently no plans to merge the operations of the two major cruise centers. Meanwhile, in conjunction with the Harbour Centre redevelopment project, the Singapore Cruise Centre was expected to relocate to a temporary terminal in the second half of 2026; and the Marina Bay Cruise Centre had just completed a S$40 million expansion project at the end of 2025. Furthermore, the operations of the three major urban ports—Keppelin Quay, Tanjong Pagar Quay, and Pulau Blarney Quay—will all be relocated to Tuas Port by the end of 2027 at the latest, freeing up over 1,000 hectares of land and 30 kilometers of coastline, which, together with the newly reclaimed land, will contribute to the development of the Southern Waterfront.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) emphasized that the development of the Southern Waterfront will be carried out in phases over many years, encompassing diverse uses to meet Singapore's long-term land use needs. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) further explained that the reclamation project will be carried out concurrently with the gradual withdrawal of dock operations, with an overall construction period of at least 10 years. A full environmental impact assessment (EIA) must be completed before construction begins, and the project planning and design will be optimized based on the investigation report and stakeholder recommendations, with a series of mitigation measures implemented.
Regarding the potential negative impacts on marine ecosystems (especially corals) identified in the EIA report, the authorities have clearly stated that targeted measures such as coral transplantation and conservation of symbiotic organisms will be taken to minimize ecological disturbance. In addition, the reclamation project will simultaneously involve land elevation work and the construction of sloping seawalls, which will not only lay the foundation for regional development but also build a crucial defense against sea-level rise, significantly enhancing Singapore's ability to withstand high tides and storm surges.
