Long-term coastal owners to build seawalls, shield against 2.15m of sea level rise in S’pore

The Government, which owns 70 per cent of coastal land, will be responsible for protecting the majority of the coastline segments. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Shabana Begum Updated Jun 17, 2026, PM Listen SINGAPORE - From 2028, all coastal landowners with at least 30 years remaining on their lease must have a plan to build coastal defences that can shield against 2.15m of future sea level rise in 2150. Those with fewer than 30 years left should prepare their coastal stretch for a 0.7m rise in sea level – the projected increase in 2050 under a worst case ice melt scenario, which has a low likelihood of occurring. These requirements – for both private and public landowners – were revealed in a rulebook released on June 17 that details what they have to do to ensure a continuous line of defence to prevent coastal flooding in Singapore. The Government, which owns 70 per cent of coastal land, will be responsible for protecting the majority of the coastline segments. The remaining 30 per cent of private land are non-residential and comprise mostly shipyards and ports, as well as businesses in the oil and gas and manufacturing sectors. Most are located on the south-west and northern coastline, including Jurong Island and the industrial estates of Tuas, Pioneer and Senoko. Announcing the release of the Code of Practice on Coastal Protection, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said: “For landowners, engineers and contractors, it will provide greater clarity on what good coastal protection looks like — and how to deliver it well.” The 80-page document covers the design requirements of coastal measures, how they should be inspected and maintained over the years, and also spelled out instructions on how temporarily floodable areas such as beaches and parks should be managed with regular emergency drills. The code of practice serves to guide waterfront landowners and leaseholders to fulfil their obligations under a new law where occupants have to eventually build their own coastal protection measures. Those who fail to do so in the future, or fail to ensure a continuous line of defence against rising seas could face a fine and jail term. Speaking at the Singapore International Water Week’s Coastal and Flood Resilience Leaders Summit, Fu said: “The Code will also be updated to keep pace with new findings on sea level rise and technologies to support coastal protection measures.” Minister Grace Fu left) and PUB Chief Executive Ong Tze Chin launching the Code of Practice on Coastal Protection on June 17.