Ships on Banknotes #9 - Singapore $5

Date of first issue:  August 21, 1989
Size in mm: 133 x 63
Color: Green

This banknote is of 3rd series of Singapore Banknotes commonly termed as "ship" series issued and used between 1984 and 1999. The series starts with the merchant craft of bygone days, and progresses to the modern bulk carrier which is featured on the highest denomination. The nine denominations in this series are $1, $2, $5, $10, $50, $100, $500, $1,000, $10,000.

The vessel depicted on the obverse (front) side in this $5 banknote is a Twakow or sailing lighter, a locally built craft designed by the Chinese. It carried cargoes mainly from the Malay Peninsula.  It was also used to unload cargoes from large ships at the anchorages to many warehouses on the banks of Singapore and Kallang rivers. The Twakows subsequently lost their masts and sails after bridges were built across the rivers.

The reverse of the banknote depicts birds eye view of PSA Terminals at Singapore. PSA Singapore Terminals is the world’s largest container transshipment  hub, handling about one-fifth of the world's total container transshipment throughput, and 6% of global container throughput. It has a network of 200 shipping lines serving 600 ports in 123 countries.

Click here to see other banknotes in my collection with ships.

Source: Wikipedia, mas.gov.sg, shipstamps.co.uk

Thanks to blogger friend Ms. Malini,  (Encyclobanknotes) for sending me this banknote.