Before 1819 's place) marked in this 1604 map of Singapore by
Godinho de Erédia. The map is orientated with the South towards the top left. In the late 13th century, a Kingdom known as
Singapura was established on the north bank of the
Singapore River around what was called the Old Harbour. It was the only port in the southern part of the
Strait of Malacca, servicing ships and traders in the region, competing with other ports along the coast of the Malacca Strait such as
Jambi, Kota Cina, Lambri, Semudra,
Palembang,
South Kedah, and Tamiang. The port had two functions. First, it made available products that were in demand by international markets; according to the
Daoyi Zhilüe (
Brief Annals of Foreign Islands, 1349) by Chinese trader
Wang Dayuan (born 1311,
fl. 1328–1339), these included top-quality
hornbill casques,
lakawood, and cotton. Although these goods were also available from other Southeast Asian ports, those from Singapore were regarded as unique in terms of their quality. Secondly, Singapore acted as a gateway into the regional and international economic system for its immediate region.
South Johor and the
Riau Archipelago supplied products to Singapore for export elsewhere, while Singapore was the major source of foreign products that were imported to the region. Archaeological artefacts, such as ceramics and glassware, discovered in the Riau Archipelago confirm this. Additionally, cotton was
transshipped from Java or India through Singapore. In 1984, an archaeological excavation began at Fort Canning Hill, led by the archaeologist Dr
John Miksic. Eventually, a wide range of artefacts, including earthenware, ceramic, and porcelain pieces, were discovered, serving as evidence of Singapore's role as an active international trading port in the 14th century. By the 15th century, Singapore had declined as an international trading port due to the ascendance of the
Malacca Sultanate. Local trade continued on the island. A map of Singapore by Portuguese mathematician
Manuel Godinho de Eredia showed the location of
Xabandaria or the office of a
shahbandar, the
Malay official responsible for international trade. Shards of 15th-century
Siam ceramics and late 16th – or early 17th-century Chinese blue and white porcelain have been found at the Singapore and
Kallang Rivers. Singapore also supplied other regional ports with local products demanded by international markets. For instance, blackwood (a generic term used by
Europeans to refer to
rosewood) was exported from Singapore to
Malacca, and was in turn purchased by Chinese traders and shipped to China for furniture-making:) In the early 17th century, Singapore's main settlement and its port were destroyed by a punitive force from
Aceh. After this incident, there was no significant settlement or port at Singapore until 1819.
1819–1960 In 1819,
Stamford Raffles, a British colonial official, excited by the deep and sheltered waters in
Keppel Harbour, established for the British Empire a new settlement and international trading port on the island.
Since 2022 The Tuas mega port is projected to be the only port in Singapore after the PSA city terminals and Pasir Panjang Terminal are closed in 2027 and 2040, respectively, ending an era of port operations in the city area which began in 1819. It will also be able to cater to the demands of the world's largest container ships, with 26 km of deep-water berths. Besides just handling containers, the port will have space set aside for companies to be located, a move that aims to improve the links between the port and businesses. It is projected to be twice the size of Ang Mo Kio's new town. Eight more berths commenced service by February 2025, bringing the total number of operational berths to eleven. When completed in 2027, phase 1 of the mega port will have twenty-one berths. lies to the left and
Jurong Port in the background of this panoramic view of the southwestern part of Singapore, showing the southern parts of
Queenstown, and
Clementi and
Jurong. island in the background. ==Operations==