Drones Fight Ship Fire for the First Time at Singapore Port

For the first time ever, drones were used to help fight a fire on a ship when a container vessel caught fire at Pasir Panjang Terminal in Singapore in April. The drones used special heat-sensing cameras, called infra-red imaging, to find the hottest and most dangerous spots on the burning ship. This helped firefighters from the Singapore Civil Defence Force put out the fire quickly and safely. No one was hurt, and all crew members on board were accounted for.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, known as the MPA, sent out patrol boats to create a safe zone in the water around the ship. At the same time, drones flew overhead to watch the situation from above and guide firefighters on the ground. MPA chief executive Ang Wee Keong said this kind of drone use is part of a bigger plan to improve safety and emergency responses at Singapore's busy port. He spoke about the fire at the opening of Singapore Safety@Sea Week on August 17.

Singapore also launched a new system that lets maritime workers report near misses — close calls at sea that did not cause an accident but easily could have. Workers can report these incidents online in private, without worrying about getting in trouble. The goal is for everyone in the industry to learn from close calls before they become real disasters. The system is modelled after a well-known international safety reporting program called CHIRP.

Ang said it takes courage for workers to speak up about mistakes or scary situations. He told companies to make sure their crew members feel safe enough to report incidents. 'Speaking up about a close call is not an admission of failure. It is an act of courage and care for your people,' he said.

Nine MPA Safety@Sea Awards were handed out to people who helped with rescues at sea in 2025. One winner was shipping company A.P. Moller Singapore, whose vessel Maersk Hamburg rescued about 50 migrants from a small, overcrowded boat on June 7, 2025. The migrants were sunburned and had no food or water when the ship's crew found them. The crew gave them blankets, water, and food, and later handed them over to the Greek coast guard.

MPA also announced new partnerships to test self-driving ship technology in Singapore's waters. The authority signed a deal with a company called Ocean Infinity to trial autonomous ships and remote control operations in the port. MPA will also work with ST Engineering to test a special system called Autonomast, which can help turn regular ships into ones that operate on their own. These trials will help Singapore figure out how to safely use this technology in the future.

A brand-new command system called the Integrated Port Operations Command, Control and Communications system also became active. It pulls together real-time information from across the entire port into one place, helping officers spot dangers earlier and respond faster. Singapore Safety@Sea Week runs from August 17 to 21, with about 1,500 people from the maritime community taking part in 18 events throughout the week. Officials say these new tools and programs show Singapore's commitment to keeping its seas safe for everyone.