Anyone who travels often knows cruise terminals are not always the best at handling thousands of passengers at once.
Unlike airports, which have moved to contactless transactions and self-service kiosks that can make them (somewhat) more bearable, maritime terminals can be slow and outdated.
But Singapore Cruise Center (SCC) is tapping into airport innovations by working with SITA, a travel and transport technology company, to modernize its Tanah Merah and HarbourFront terminals and offer faster, more efficient cruise terminals.
“The maritime sector is currently around a decade behind the air transport industry in terms of digitalization of its terminal and passenger processing infrastructure,” said Julian Panter, CEO of SmartSEA, a SITA company.
“This partnership with Singapore Cruise Center is an important step for digitalizing the maritime industry, helping it to reach new levels of technology in passenger processing,” he continued.
SITA will install Smart Path hardware and Flex as a Service (FasS), allowing the cruise terminals to streamline passenger check-ins and reduce waiting times through advanced technology.
SITA’s Smart Path technology, which includes biometric-ready kiosks, self-service bag drops, and smart gates that will speed up each step of the passenger journey, will make it quicker and more convenient for Singapore’s approximately 7 million cruise and ferry guests.
The updates will enhance SCC’s ability to manage passenger volume at key points of entry into Singapore, especially for those traveling to and from the Riau Islands in Indonesia and Peninsular Malaysia.
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“Seamless travel, by air, sea, or land will be one of the drivers of growth for the travel and transport industry, with transport hubs seeing a need to quickly digitalize their infrastructure to remain ahead of the curve,” said Sumesh Patel, SITA’s president of Asia Pacific.
Added Lee Siew Kit, vice president of technology and IT at SCC, “We are happy to partner with SITA to bring aviation technologies to the maritime passenger industry so that we can provide similar seamless and future contactless experiences for our ferry, fly-ferry, and fly-cruise passengers.”
Modernization and Updates
The new installations at Singapore Cruise Center include 45 new kiosks across Tanah Merah and HarbourFront that allow guests to check in with minimal contact. These kiosks are anticipated to shorten waiting times and allow the terminals to handle high passenger volumes more effectively.
Eventually, the kiosks will feature biometrics to further enhance security and simplify identity verification for cruisers.
Additionally, 10 Smart Path Bag Drop units will reduce congestion at baggage drop-off areas, while 13 Smart Path gates will replace current systems with automated gates that facilitate quicker, smoother boarding.
The maritime company is also integrating its new Cruise and Ferry Operation System, a cloud-based Departure Control System, that will provide a single platform for passenger management, allowing for real-time updates and more coordination across terminal operations.
In February 2024, the cruise center announced it would spend $20 million for comprehensive upgrades of the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. The terminal redesign is expected to boost capacity by 20 percent and feature more dining options, new lounges, and an outdoor play area for children.
This is all good news for the nearly 1 million cruise passengers who pass through the terminals, including those on voyages offered by Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity Cruises.
Singapore is also home to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre (MBCCS), which is owned by SATS Creuers Cruises Services.
