Regulatory crackdown stalls freight forwarders, reshapes week at Nueva Singapur berth

The weekly vessel schedule at Nueva Singapur's deep‑water berth was cut by almost a third on Monday, as the Federal Treasury's new freight‑forwarder licensing regime forced several operators to suspend services. The port logged 42 scheduled arrivals for the week, down from the usual 60, and container throughput fell 27% compared with the same period last month.

The regulation, announced by Treasury Minister Marcus Eklund on 3 September, requires all freight‑forwarding firms to obtain a federal operating licence and to demonstrate a five‑year financial audit trail. The Treasury argues the move will curb illegal cargo handling and protect the Republic's anti‑money‑laundering standards, but critics warn it will choke the logistics chain that underpins the federation’s trade.

Marina Cheng, Director of the Port Authority of Nueva Singapur, said the sudden compliance deadline left many mid‑size forwarders scrambling. "We have already rerouted three feeder services to Costa Mar's ports and deferred two container ships to the following week," she told the Herald in an interview at the berth’s control tower.

The full impact on shipping schedules, bunker‑fuel contracts and downstream fintech settlement volumes will be examined in a joint task force meeting on 15 September, when the Federal Council is expected to review the policy's first‑month data.