Singapore: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors
7 harbours · 2 bridges and locks
Singapore: 7 harbours, 2 bridges and locks, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.
Formalities
outside the EU customs unionCurrency: Singapore dollar
Clearing in: Clearance only through an agent, who registers boat and crew with the immigration authority (ICA) and the port authority (MPA) via digitalPORT@SG, at the earliest 72 and at the latest 6 hours before arrival. Immigration, customs and quarantine clear boats at ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove (around the clock by appointment) and at Raffles Marina (daily 9 am to 5 pm); nobody goes ashore before then. Complete the SG Arrival Card for each person beforehand. Every trip within port limits, even from marina to marina, needs an MPA cruising permit, and AIS must be transmitting.
Ausreise: The agent applies for MPA port clearance up to 48 hours before departure (port dues paid); then clear out at ONE°15 Marina or Raffles Marina with everyone on board and leave immediately.
Documents: Passport valid for six months; Germans enter visa-free for up to 90 days. Ship's papers, insurance, crew list, port clearance from the last port, SG Arrival Card.
Fees: Clearance at the marina about 200 to 460 Singapore dollars each way depending on boat length, plus the agent (about 200 Singapore dollars per clearance), port clearance (about 54) and the cruising permit (about 50); berthing fees in the marinas.
Fairway: The Singapore Strait is one of the busiest waterways in the world: a traffic separation scheme with shipping around the clock, cross only at right angles (COLREGS rule 10) and monitor the VTIS VHF channel. Restricted areas around Jurong Island, Pulau Bukom and the anchorages of merchant ships. The Johor Strait is closed at the Causeway: the western part only under the Second Link (25 m clearance in the Malaysian main channel), the eastern part from Changi; the RTS Link bridge at Woodlands allows at most 23 m, permission from Sembawang Control on VHF channel 21. Tidal stream up to 3 kn. IALA A buoyage.
Nature: Sisters' Islands Marine Park south of Sentosa: fishing prohibited, do not anchor on coral.
Tropical storm season: Singapore lies almost on the equator, tropical cyclones are very rare (Vamei made landfall just to the north in Johor in December 2001). Northeast monsoon from December to March, southwest monsoon from June to September; then and between the monsoons Sumatras at night and in the morning with gusts up to 40 kn.
Emergency: 999 police, 995 ambulance; distress at sea to MRCC Singapore (+65 6226 5539) and on VHF channel 16.
Sources: Auswärtiges Amt: Singapore, travel and safety advice, ICA: arrival and departure by boat (digitalPORT@SG), Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Noonsite: Singapore (as of 2026-10-20)
Harbours by cruising area
Singapore: Changi, Punggol and the Johor Strait
Singapore: Sentosa and Keppel Bay
Singapore: West (Raffles Marina, West Coast)
Bridges and locks
Fixed bridges (2)
Frequently asked questions
Singapore: Do I need to clear in?
Clearance only through an agent, who registers boat and crew with the immigration authority (ICA) and the port authority (MPA) via digitalPORT@SG, at the earliest 72 and at the latest 6 hours before arrival. Immigration, customs and quarantine clear boats at ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove (around the clock by appointment) and at Raffles Marina (daily 9 am to 5 pm); nobody goes ashore before then. Complete the SG Arrival Card for each person beforehand. Every trip within port limits, even from marina to marina, needs an MPA cruising permit, and AIS must be transmitting.
Singapore: Which documents do I need on board?
Passport valid for six months; Germans enter visa-free for up to 90 days. Ship's papers, insurance, crew list, port clearance from the last port, SG Arrival Card.
Singapore: What fees apply?
Clearance at the marina about 200 to 460 Singapore dollars each way depending on boat length, plus the agent (about 200 Singapore dollars per clearance), port clearance (about 54) and the cruising permit (about 50); berthing fees in the marinas.
Singapore: What is the emergency number at sea?
999 police, 995 ambulance; distress at sea to MRCC Singapore (+65 6226 5539) and on VHF channel 16.
Singapore: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?
Sailseer covers 7 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning. Plus 2 bridges and locks with opening times and clearances.