Batam-Singapore bridge could be a gamechanger

Murray Hunter


Batam-Singapore bridge could be a gamechanger

Indonesia and Singapore are in the planning stage of building the longest see-crossing in the region to link the Riau Islands and eventually Singapore to Riau.


Apr 25, 2025





Batam has been a ‘getaway’ holiday resort for Singaporeans for years. The island can be reached in less than and hour by ferry. Today Batam is full of high-rise 5 star beach resorts, and a large array of entertainment. A number of smaller islands connected by bridge from Batam offer golf, seaside activities, and night life.

A bridge-link between Batam and Singapore could herald a new era of development for Riau. The proposed bridge or tunnel between Batam and Singapore, which are divided by 15km of sea would connect Singapore to the islands of the Riau province in Indonesia. The current mode of transport is now by ferry.

Batam has a population of 1,196,396, which is growing at around 11 percent per annum. With Batam attracting industry, GDP of the region is growing at around 7.0 percent per annum, much faster than Indonesia as a whole.

Batam became an autonomous region in the 1990s and is the centre of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Batam is serviced by a port.

Presently, there are preparations being made to link two major islands of Riau, Batam and Bintam by a cable-stayed bridge. Such a bridge would involve three sections connecting the islands of Riau – Batam to Tanjung Sauh, Tanjung Sauh to Buau, and then Buau to Bintan. This network would connect the Riau Islands and open up travel and logistics. The Batam-Singapore bridge would connect Riau to Singapore.

This bridge network resembles the road network around the Pearl River Delta between Hong Kong and Macau. Such a project in Riau would attract new economic activity and act as a potential base for a new cluster of development. Such a project would potentially divert focus away from Johor, towards Riau.

The development on Batam is an area to watch in the future.