227 concrete blocks are launched into the sea to build a mega maritime wall: it will be the world's largest automated port

Despite being one of the smallest countries on Earth by land area – covering roughly 281 square miles – Singapore has embarked on an enormous infrastructure project: the construction of the world’s largest fully automated port. The ambitious development will dramatically reshape Tuas Port, one of the city-state’s key maritime hubs. Once completed, the sprawling complex will span 3,304 acres – the equivalent of more than 3,000 soccer fields.

The future megaport will feature 66 berths capable of handling 65 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), the standard measurement used for shipping containers. Located on the western coast of the Asian city-state, the second phase of the terminal project includes building an 5.3-mile quay structure alongside 227 giant concrete caissons.

Those enormous blocks will actually be manufactured on-site. According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the completed project – expected to be finished by 2040 – will nearly double the port’s recent cargo capacity, increasing from 37.5 million TEUs in 2021 to the projected 65 million. In total, the site will include more than 16 miles of quay space designed to accommodate the world’s largest container ships.

A giant underwater wall

The most striking part of the project, however, will remain hidden beneath the water. Engineers plan to sink 227 massive concrete caissons to support the installation. Each one stands roughly as tall as a ten-story building. Together, they will also form part of a 5.7-mile seawall acting as a containment system.

The goal is to create artificial reclaimed areas protected from the force of the ocean. To ensure stability on the seabed, the structures will be partially filled with ballast material.

“Fully automated yard cranes, driverless automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and remotely operated ship-to-shore cranes will drive our operational efficiency, labor productivity, and safety. Everything will function as one integrated system,” said Liang Hui Tan, vice president of Tuas Development, Strategic Port Technology, Solutions and Services at PSA.

With the project, Singapore hopes to transform the port into a testing ground for cutting-edge technology, automation systems, and digital transformation. If the rollout proves successful, PSA plans to expand the same systems across its global network.

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