Shipping from
Singapore to the US.

Singapore

Singapore makes high-value goods for the US, from pharmaceuticals and medical devices to semiconductors, precision machinery and specialty chemicals. It is also one of the world’s great transshipment hubs, where cargo from across Asia changes ships on its way to the US.

Singapore is our corporate headquarters. Operations here are run by our own operations lead, supported by trusted local operational partners for transshipment and other local arrangements when they are needed. Every booking and milestone shows up in OWL Vision alongside the rest of your Asia freight.

Many importers use Singapore as a meeting point, bringing cargo together from several Southeast Asian origins or relaying it onto mainline sailings to the US. Routing cargo through Singapore doesn’t change its origin, though: only goods made in Singapore enter the US as Singaporean.

At a glance

Singapore at a glance.

Singapore is a city-state, so the seaport, the airport and the factories are all within an hour or so of each other.

[01] Our office: Singapore
[02] Local time: --:--; 13 hours ahead of New York and 16 ahead of Los Angeles on US standard time. One hour less while US daylight saving time is on.
[03] Main seaport: Port of Singapore · Tuas · Pasir Panjang; A record 44.66 million TEU in 2025. Container operations are moving step by step to the new, automated Tuas Port.
[04] Main air gateway: Singapore Changi (SIN); 2.08 million tonnes of airfreight in 2025. The US is its second-largest cargo market.
[05] Currency: Singapore dollar (SGD)
[06] Business language: English; Malay is the national language, and Mandarin and Tamil are also official languages.
[07] Biggest holiday: Chinese New Year; Two public holidays in late January or February. Many offices slow down for the whole week.
[08] US goods imports, 2025: $38.2 billion; US Census Bureau.

Transit times

How long it takes.

Indicative port-to-port days on the water, from carrier schedules. West Coast services usually call Vietnam or China after Singapore. East Coast cargo sails west via Suez or the Cape of Good Hope, or east via Panama, and the choice can change the time by a week or more, so confirm the routing at booking.

Singapore Los Angeles / Long Beach Direct call

24–33 days
Singapore New York Via Suez or the Cape

26–36 days
Singapore Savannah / Charleston Via Suez, the Cape or Panama

31–45 days

Indicative port-to-port ranges from published carrier schedules. They shift with the season, the carrier and congestion, so ask us for current sailings on your lane.

What it makes

Pharma, precision and electronics.

Singapore exports fewer containers than its neighbors but far more value per box. Pharmaceuticals lead by a distance, followed by medical and precision instruments, machinery, electronics and chemicals.

[01] Tuas

Pharmaceuticals

Finished medicines and active ingredients, Singapore’s largest export to the US, often shipped by air under temperature control.
[02]

Medical and precision instruments

Medical devices, diagnostics, and optical and measuring equipment, often high in value and low in weight.
[03]

Semiconductors and electronics

Chips, wafers, components and electronic equipment from one of Asia’s established semiconductor bases.
[04]

Machinery and precision engineering

Machinery, parts and precision-engineered components for the semiconductor, aerospace and energy industries.
[05] Jurong Island

Chemicals

Organic and specialty chemicals from Singapore’s petrochemical hub on Jurong Island.
[06]

Food preparations

Processed food and nutritional products, packed and shipped from Singapore.

Know before you ship

What to plan for.

Singapore has a free trade agreement with the US, but this year’s tariff changes still reach it. Check the current rules for your HTS code before you commit.

Factory closure calendar

[01] Tariffs

FTA plus Section 301

Goods that qualify under the US–Singapore Free Trade Agreement enter free of regular US duty. Since July 24, 2026, though, most Singapore-origin goods also carry an additional Section 301 tariff, and FTA goods aren’t listed among its exemptions, so check with your broker. Pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and some electronics are exempt.
[02] Section 232

Sector tariffs

Patented pharmaceuticals, some semiconductors and metals such as steel and aluminum have their own Section 232 tariffs, which apply instead of the Section 301 tariff. For pharma, the rate depends on the product and the company, so check before you ship.
[03] Origin

Transshipment keeps origin

Goods made elsewhere and relayed, stored or consolidated in Singapore keep their original country of origin for US Customs. Relabeling or simple repacking doesn’t change it, and US Customs is actively pursuing illegal transshipment.
[04] Routing

Three ways east

East Coast cargo can go via Suez, around the Cape of Good Hope, or across the Pacific and through Panama, and transit times vary by a week or more between them. Confirm the routing when you book.

Three colleagues gathered around a laptop in an office meeting pod

Our team in Singapore

Our headquarters. Your hub in Asia.

Singapore is where OWL is headquartered. Our own operations lead runs the work here, with trusted local operational partners for transshipment and other local arrangements when they are needed. Bookings, documents and updates all flow into OWL Vision, so your team sees Singapore cargo next to everything else you ship.

Transshipment coordination
Multi-origin cargo
Bookings and documents
Ocean and air

Origin management All locations

Cover of the OW Logistics Singapore country fact sheet, 2026

Free download

The Singapore fact sheet.

The essentials on Singapore in two pages: the economy, ports and transit times, factory closures, what to watch and our team on the ground. One free account opens it, and every other download in our library.

Get the PDF PDF · 2 pages · 2026

Plan around the holidays

When Singapore stops.

Chinese New Year in late January or February is the main slowdown, and Hari Raya Puasa, Hari Raya Haji, Vesak Day, National Day on August 9 and Deepavali are public holidays too. Our factory closure calendar has the dates for the next ten years, with book-by dates.

See Singapore’s calendar

FAQ

Shipping from Singapore, answered.

Ask our team

[01]How long does ocean freight from Singapore to the US take?

Singapore to Los Angeles or Long Beach typically takes about three and a half to five weeks port to port, because most services call Vietnam or China on the way. New York usually takes about four to five weeks via Suez or the Cape of Good Hope, and Savannah or Charleston about four and a half to six and a half weeks, depending on the routing.

[02]Does shipping through Singapore change my goods’ country of origin?

No. Transshipment, storage or consolidation in Singapore doesn’t change origin for US Customs. Goods made in Vietnam, China or Indonesia and relayed through Singapore enter the US under their real origin, and pay that country’s tariffs. Only goods made, or substantially transformed, in Singapore count as Singaporean.

[03]Are goods from Singapore duty-free under the US–Singapore FTA?

Goods that meet the agreement’s rules of origin enter free of regular US duty. Since July 24, 2026, most Singapore-origin goods also carry an additional Section 301 tariff, and FTA goods aren’t listed among its exemptions, though pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and some electronics are exempt. Check the current position for your HTS code with your broker before you buy.

[04]What are Singapore’s main exports to the US?

Pharmaceuticals are by far the largest category. They are followed by medical and precision instruments, machinery, electronics and semiconductors, and organic chemicals. Much of this is high-value cargo that moves by air through Changi.

[05]Does OWL have an office in Singapore?

Yes. Singapore is OWL’s corporate headquarters. Operations there are run by our own operations lead, supported by trusted local operational partners for transshipment and other local arrangements when needed.

More origins