On its journey to establish the world’s largest fully-automated port, Singapore officially opened Tuas Port on Thursday. With three operational berths and around 500 workers, Tuas Port starts its first phase with two more berths to be added by the end of the year. In addition to its depth of 23 meters alongside, the port will have a 26 km total berth length and is expected to have a handling capacity of 65m TEUs once it is fully operational in the 2040s. The government of Singapore plans to develop the port in four phases with a total budget of $20 billion. The port is also projected to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, “Our decision to press on with Tuas Port sends a strong signal to the world that Singapore is open for business... We are going full steam ahead.” He added, “It will be the world’s largest automated port, able to accommodate not just today’s largest container ships, but even larger ships that may be built in the future.” Industry experts believe that the digital solutions Tuas Port will bring will enhance its capability to manage the country’s cargo flow in and out of the port, and thus have a positive effect on the region’s supply chain. “Tuas Port will encompass an extensive and well-connected supply chain and logistics ecosystem in the Tuas area – along Singapore's western seaboard,” PSA Singapore highlighted in a press release. With its current position as the top maritime centre globally and home to the second largest container port in the world, Singapore is placing itself on the map as one of the world’s major shipping hubs. Sources: PSA Singapore, Lloyd’s List, The Straits Times