PSA may face schedule disruptions if Suez Canal jam is prolonged: Ong Ye Kung

PSA Singapore could come up against schedule disruptions if the situation at Egypt's Suez Canal is prolonged, Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung said in a Facebook post on Thursday evening.

He was referring to the 400-metre container ship that has been wedged across the Suez Canal, after being blown off course by strong winds. It has now halted marine traffic, blocking one of the busiest waterways in the world that provides passage for around a 10th of all global seaborne trade.

"To have the Suez blocked is akin to a big tree falling across the Central Expressway (CTE). Every other expressway linked to the CTE will be affected," Mr Ong said.

"It can mean supplies to the region may be temporarily disrupted. Should that happen, some draw-down on inventories will become necessary. The fallback is for ships to sail around the African continent - the Cape of Good Hope - to come to Asia. It is a longer journey by one to two weeks.

"(The PSA) will have to plan ahead and ensure that operations remain smooth," he added, saying that: "This is another unfortunate incident that illustrates how the world is now so closely interwoven together."