Maritime Digital Twin, Port of Singapore
The Maritime Digital Twin (MDT) is used as a strategic planning and simulation platform for the Port of Singapore.
It was officially launched by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on 24 March 2025 during Singapore Maritime Week, developed with the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) . The digital twin is a dynamic, AI-enabled virtual model that ingests live vessel-traffic data, weather and sea current data, and aerial drone feeds and supports underwater visualisation of hull inspection and cleaning (MPA, 2025; MPA, 2026b; GovInsider, 2026; World Ports Sustainability Program, n.d.).
Strategically, MDT functions as a virtual lab for testing next-generation concepts such as new operating concepts, digital solutions and emergency response before physical deployment. MPA is integrating oil spill and chemical plume dispersion models for incident coordination. MPA began a supply services and job coordination pilot in the first quarter of 2026 and planned an incident coordination pilot, drawing on vessel, weather, drone and plume data, from the second quarter of 2026 (MPA, 2026c). (Offshore Energy, 2025; World Ports Sustainability Program, n.d.; GovMedia, 2025; GovInsider, 2026)
Expected benefits span safety, efficiency and sustainability. The MDT's unified operational view of vessel data, weather feeds, drone inputs and plume models is intended to improve situational awareness and response to maritime incidents. (MPA, 2025; World Ports Sustainability Program, n.d.)
For industry users, MDT promises reduced development risk and cost: companies can test and validate new digital or autonomous solutions against realistic port conditions before committing to full-scale deployment. These are intended benefits; measured results were not found in the sources reviewed. (Offshore Energy, 2025)
Transferability
A full maritime digital twin is a long-term goal for most DMC ports. A practical first step is a shared operational view that combines vessel traffic, weather and incident data to support emergency response, such as oil spill coordination. Ports should pilot specific uses first and measure results. Opening the platform to industry so users can test solutions before investing can spread the cost and the benefit.