Singapore Plans Major Changes to Port Rules After 30 Years

What happened

It seeks to amend the MPA Act, which was enacted in 1996 and has remained largely unchanged since. Parliament is scheduled to debate the Bill at its Second Reading in November 2026.

Singapore is preparing the most significant update to its port legislation in nearly three decades. A new MPA Amendment Bill would give the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore dedicated powers over maritime cybersecurity, along with fresh authority to regulate drones, autonomous vessels and artificial intelligence.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Amendment) Bill was tabled for First Reading in Parliament this week. According to the MPA Amendment Bill, maritime operations have shifted considerably over that period, driven by greater digitalization, the arrival of technologies such as remote operations and autonomous vessels, and port operations that have grown increasingly complex.