Automated check-in part of $20m Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal revamp

SINGAPORE — Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal will undergo a $20 million upgrade to modernise its facilities and increase its passenger capacity, through automation as well as better use of space.

Built in 1995, the terminal will undergo upgrading in stages from January to December, with no changes to ferry services and schedules, said operator Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) in a statement on Feb 2.

The terminal last underwent a major renovation in 2007.

SCC chief executive Jacqueline Tan noted that the revamp will expand the terminal's capacity by 20 per cent to more than three million passengers, from the present 2.7 million.

The new features, which will be ready in January 2025, will include the installation of 20 self-service check-in kiosks, four bag-drop machines, and more automated immigration clearance gates similar to the ones in Changi Airport, said SCC.

These will speed up departure procedures for passengers, added the operator.

At present, passengers at the terminal have to buy tickets or exchange their online tickets for physical ones at ferry operator counters, which are manned by workers.

The terminal now has three manned bag-drop counters, as well as a mix of automated immigration clearance lanes and manned immigration counters.

With the revamp, passengers will be able to check in by themselves at the self-service kiosks, drop their bags off at the machines and clear immigration via an automated lane. However, manned options will still be available for passengers who prefer to speak directly with staff.

In addition, the redesign of the departure hall will increase its size and capacity by 69 per cent, allowing it to hold about 200 more passengers.

The terminal will also be home to two lounges for business-class passengers, up from the single lounge it now has.

Through optimising the available space, an unoccupied field between the arrival and departure halls will be converted into an outdoor play area for families with young children to gather, added SCC.

Separately, there will be revamped ferry operator counters, where passengers can buy or collect tickets, and more food and beverage outlets near the terminal's entrance.

Throughout the terminal, the toilets will also be revamped, with interim container toilets made available to passengers from March to October when works are under way.

Hybrid cooling systems — a combination of natural fan ventilation and air-conditioning — will also be added to make the terminal more energy-efficient. These will complement solar panels that were installed in 2017, SCC said.

Renovation in the passenger areas will be done in phases from March, and will take place only from 9.30pm to 6am daily to minimise disturbance to ferry passengers. 

Areas will be hoarded off in stages for construction to be done, said SCC.

For instance, each ferry operator counter will take turns to undergo renovation and continue serving passengers in a makeshift spot.

This is the first phase of renovation work the terminal will undergo, added SCC, as part of its strategy to capture the post-pandemic rebound in travel. 

It noted that a few hundred passengers every month use the ferry terminal as a transfer point for flights at Changi Airport. 

The operator said it has plans to automate the terminal's ferry berths, though details are not available yet.

Some 1.3 million passengers used Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in 2023 on their way to and from Batam and Bintan in Indonesia, and Desaru in Malaysia, according to SCC.

The terminal handled more than two million passengers every year before the pandemic.

Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal is among three ferry terminals SCC operates. The others are the international cruise and regional ferry terminal at HarbourFront Centre and Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.