SmartSea and SITA set to power Asia Pacific’s first inter-operable Ferry and Cruise boarding system at Singapore Cruise Centre

SmartSea and parent company, SITA, the global leader in air transport technology, have successfully deployed the first inter-operable automated ferry and cruise passenger handling technology, forming part of the new ferry and cruise operations system at Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC).

The new system, which debuts at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, (TMFT), in Singapore, enables seamless 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 a seamless fly-ferry and fly-cruise passenger experience.  The same state of the art solution will be deployed at the new Integrated Ferry and Cruise Terminal (IFCT) currently under development at 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 brings new levels of convenience, security and speed to the passenger journey. Singapore Cruise Centre is already reporting 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 transformational impact to ferry and cruise terminals, enabling next-generation air-to-sea connectivity.

Lee Siew Kit, Vice President (Technology and IT) at Singapore Cruise Centre, 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, CEO at SmartSea, 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, Business Development Director for new markets at SITA 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."

The rollout at SCC underscores SmartSea and SITA’s commitment and SCC’s vision to redefining the passenger experience through innovation and establishes Singapore as a global leader in connected ferry and cruise terminal operations.

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