Singapore has officially opened its new HarbourFront cruise and ferry terminal, introducing airport-style self-service facilities and automated immigration systems as the city-state prepares to handle more regional travellers.
The Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront) officially opened on Sept. 22 after 24 months of development and testing. The terminal had already been fully operational since July 15 and has processed more than 720,000 ferry and cruise passengers since then.
The new facility replaces the former ferry terminal inside HarbourFront Centre and is located about 70 metres away at 5 HarbourFront Avenue. Travellers can reach it through HarbourFront MRT station Exit B via sheltered walkways.
One of the biggest changes is the introduction of self-service check-in. The terminal has 25 kiosks where eligible passengers can scan their passports, print boarding passes and baggage tags, followed by six automated baggage-drop counters.
Passengers who require assistance can still use staffed counters operated by the ferry companies.
Immigration clearance has also been upgraded with automated lanes using facial biometrics, allowing eligible travellers to clear without presenting their passports at the automated gates. The terminal has 14 automated clearance lanes, including dedicated lanes for families with young children, seniors, wheelchair users and pregnant passengers.
A new integrated system also connects ferry and cruise operations from check-in through boarding. This allows passenger and baggage information to be shared across the process and gives the Singapore Cruise Centre greater visibility over traveller movements.
The terminal can handle up to 18,000 departing passengers a day during peak periods. Its new layout places the five ferry operators on the same main concourse, while waiting areas are larger than those at the previous facility.
Travellers heading to popular Indonesian destinations such as Batam Centre, Harbour Bay, Sekupang, Tanjung Balai and other nearby islands continue to use the terminal. Ferry routes, destinations and schedules were not changed by the relocation.
The new building also includes nursing rooms, prayer rooms, wheelchair-accessible facilities, food and beverage outlets, convenience stores, money-changing services and electric-vehicle charging points.
The move comes as Singapore continues expanding its maritime and cruise infrastructure. The country recorded more than two million cruise passenger movements in 2025, and the new terminal is designed to provide additional capacity as regional travel continues to grow.
For passengers, the biggest difference will be the more automated journey — from checking in and dropping off luggage to immigration clearance and boarding.
The new HarbourFront terminal effectively brings an airport-style experience to one of Singapore’s busiest ferry gateways, while giving the city more capacity to handle the growing flow of travellers heading across the region.
