SM Lee urges closer cooperation to protect Singapore port jobs
Reskilling will be central to helping workers adapt as AI, automation and changes in global trade reshape port operations, he said.
Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged Singapore’s port unions, PSA management and the Government to strengthen cooperation to protect workers’ livelihoods as technology and trade patterns change. Speaking on 17 October, he called for continued training to prepare employees for more skilled roles.
Lee was addressing more than 600 guests at a dinner marking the Singapore Port Workers Union’s (SPWU) 80th anniversary. He reaffirmed government support for the transition and said port employees should receive a fair share of future growth.
He said AI, robotics, sensors and autonomous technology were changing port operations, while competing ports were advancing in automation and digitalisation. Supply chain disruption, geopolitical tensions and climate change posed additional challenges for shipping companies and port operators.
The use of ammonia and methanol as greener fuels would require different procedures, skills and safety measures, Lee said. He added that embodied AI might eventually perform repetitive physical work, while opportunities could emerge in sustainability management and alternative fuels.
Lee pointed to earlier changes in port work, during which PSA retrained employees and union leaders encouraged them to learn new skills. He also cited transport arrangements for staff moving to Tuas, saying bus services had increased and authorities were examining the feasibility of a Bus Rapid Transit system.
Singapore handled a record 44.66 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, compared with 41.12 million the year before. SPWU, established in 1946, represents more than 10,000 members across PSA entities and other port logistics businesses.
