SmartSea and parent company, SITA, involved in air transport technology, have deployed the first inter-operable automated ferry and cruise passenger handling technology, which now forms part of the new ferry and cruise operations system at Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC).
The new system, which is fitted at Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, (TMFT), enables self-service check-in and bag drop, and automated boarding for all ferry passengers using a single, unified platform.
This marks a significant milestone in transforming the travel experience, offering a standardised, air-travel-style passenger experience from shore to ferry to better facilitate an easy fly-ferry and fly-cruise passenger experience.
The same solution will be deployed at the new Integrated Ferry and Cruise Terminal (IFCT) currently under development at Singapore’s Harbour Front when it becomes operational in mid-2026, which will also cover cruise operations.
With the integration of SmartSea and SITA’s self-service kiosks, bag drops, self-boarding gates, and SITA’s Flex-as-a-Service platform, the solution is claimed to bring new levels of convenience, security and speed to the passenger journey.
SCC has reported that it expects up to a 20% reduction in processing times for both passengers and luggage, helping meet the growing demand for higher passenger numbers without having to increase physical space at its terminals.
The launch at SCC also marks the world’s first live implementation of SITA’s Flex-as-a-Service, an API-based platform that allows operators to connect and innovate freely without certification barriers.
Originally developed for airports, Flex is now extending its impact to ferry and cruise terminals, enabling future air-to-sea connectivity.
Lee Siew Kit, SCC’s Vice President (Technology and IT), said: “This new technology represents a major step forward in improving the level of experience for our passengers. The deployment of automated, interoperable systems will greatly support our growing traffic and position Singapore as a leader in seamless and eventually contactless ferry and cruise travel.”
Kris Vedat, SmartSea CEO, added: “We are proud to partner with Singapore Cruise Centre in delivering this innovative, future-ready solution. Today’s traveller expects self-service, speed, and simplicity – and we are delivering exactly that. This marks a pivotal moment in standardising air-to-sea processes for ferry and cruise terminals in the region.”
Benoit Verbaere, SITA’s Business Development Director for new markets, commented: “We are pleased to work with SmartSea and the team at SCC on this successful deployment. By delivering a frictionless, self-service experience, we are paving the way for even more advanced processing solutions – with multiple maritime operators together on a single platform – including the future use of biometrics in ferry and cruise travel.”
