News and Updates.

DISCLAIMER NOTICE: 
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​The information provided here is only relevant to Singapore unless otherwise stated. The information provided herein reflects the news to the knowledge of JCI-SEABORNE (S) PTE LTD (the "Company"). The Company makes no express and/or implied warranties, conditions or representations as to the accuracy of the information provided on this page. Readers are advised to verify the information provided on this page before relying on them. The Company accepts no liability for any damage and/or loss as a result of any reliance on the information provided herein .
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TABLE OF CONTENTS​

A) COVID-19 UPDATES (PORT OF SINGAPORE)

1. Enhancements to Crew Change for Cargo Ships in the Port of Singapore
2. Requirements for vessels arriving in the Port of Singapore during Covid-19

B) GENERAL UPDATES - PORT OF SINGAPORE
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1. Notice of Wreck - 11 May 2021
2. Reporting procedures for vessels manoeuvring in the Port of Singapore
3. Vessels at anchor in port
4. Resolutions adopted by the 74th session of the MEPC (IMO)* ​
5. Guidelines on the medical examination of seafarers and seafarer's medical certificate* 
6. Implementation of Singapore Standard SS 648: 2019 - Code of practice for bunker mass flow metering
7. Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 2019
8. ​1996 Protocol to the Convention of Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976

* indicates that topic includes sub-categories

A) COVID-19 - SINGAPORE UPDATES

​(1) Enhancements to Crew Change for Cargo Ships in the Port of Singapore

The information below is relevant to Harbour Craft Community, Pleasure Craft Community and the Shipping Community. 

MPA will continue to consider the following circumstances for crew change applications:

1. Crew whose employment contract has expired;
2. Additional crew on board whose sign-off would not affect the safe manning of the ship;
3. Change of crew due to sale or purchase of ship;
4. Personnel who are not part of the ship's crew;
5. Compassionate grounds; or
6. The crew is no longer medically fit to work aboard the ship.

Shipowners/Managers/Agents must apply for crew change in Singapore by filling up the online form found here: www.mpa.gov.sg/web/portal/home/port-of-singapore/operations/crew-change. Applications shall be submitted at least 14 days before the planned crew change, especially so, if the application includes signing-on crew. For foreign-flagged vessels, the crew change will be considered if the ship meets all prevailing requirements and is in Singapore for cargo operations, bunkering and/or other marine services.

The express requirements for sign-on and sign-off crew are stipulated in MPA's Port Marine Circular 30/21.

​The full circular can be here.

​(2) Requirements for vessels arriving in the Port of Singapore during Covid-19

The information below is relevant to Harbour Craft Community, Pleasure Craft Community and the Shipping Community. 

Owners, Agents and Masters of vessels arriving in the Port of Singapore are reminded in MPA's Port Marine Circular 31/21 of their responsibility to implement and comply with all prevailing requirements and measures instituted by the Singaporean Authorities in their fight against COVID-19 transmission in Singapore.

Owners, Agents and Masters are to ensure that all operations carried out in Singapore are conducted either as contactless or contactless with segregation protocol. Failure to comply with said requirements or measures may result in a breach of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Port) Regulations or the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.

Contactless Operations

No person is to board the visiting vessel except MPA-licensed harbour pilots, authorised government officers, and persons approved by the Port Master.

Contactless Operations must minimally ensure the following:

• Communicate and/or send documents by telephone, text message or e-mail
• If items are to be transferred from one vessel to another, items and equipment to be disinfected thoroughly before and after transfer

For transferring of supplies, the Owner, Master and/or Agent of visiting vessels and the services provider involved must ensure the following:

• The Supply Boat's crew must not board the visiting vessel;
• Disinfect equipment used for the transfer of supplies thoroughly before and after the transfer; &
• Communicate and/or send documents by telephone, text message or e-mail.

Contactless Operations with Segregation Protocol

If it is necessary for shore-based personnel to board the vessel, segregation protocol must be in place to minimise interactions between the vessel's crew and shore-based personnel.

Such operations must minimally ensure the following:

• Communicate and/or send documents by telephone, text message or e-mail
• If items are to be transferred from one vessel to another, items and equipment to be disinfected thoroughly before and after transfer
• Vessel's crew to remain in accommodation except to keep gangway watch or to carry out essential activities such as tending to mooring ropes
• If vessel's crew are required to go on deck, their movements are to be restricted to the seaward side of the deck
• The shore-based personnel must be informed of vessel's crew exiting the accommodation so that the shore-based personnel can keep clear of the area

For bunkering, the Owner, Master, Agent of visiting vessels and/or service providers involved must minimally ensure the following:

• Bunker Barge crew must not board the visiting vessel;
• Visiting vessel's crew must not board the bunker barge;
• Communicate and/or send documents by telephone, text or e-mail;
• Visiting vessel's crew to connect the hose at the vessel's manifold; &
• Bunker Surveyor must not board the bunker barge.

The full circular can be here.

B) GENERAL UPDATES - PORT OF SINGAPORE

(1) Notice of Wreck

• MPA has given notice on 11 May 2021, of two wrecks and their contents comprising broken pieces of metal and ceramics in the following geographic location:

          Wreck 1:
 
          Latitude 01°19.90N Longitude 104°24.27E
          Latitude 01°19.90N Longitude 104°24.33E
          Latitude 01°19.82N Longitude 104°24.33E
          Latitude 01°19.82N Longitude 104°24.27E
 
         Wreck 2:
 
         Latitude 01°19.87N Longitude 104°24.50E
         Latitude 01°19.87N Longitude 104°24.58E
         Latitude 01°19.78N Longitude 104°24.58E
         Latitude 01°19.78N Longitude 104°24.50E

(2) Reporting procedures for vessels manoeuvring in the Port of Singapore

With effect from 0001 Hours (LT) on 01 March 2021, MPA has re-designated the working VHF channels of Keppel Control to VHF channel 05 and Pasir Panjang Control to VHF channel 18. PMC 06/2021 supersedes PMC 07/2021 accordingly. More information can be found here.

(3) Vessels at anchor in port

Pursuant to Reg. 9(2) of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Port) Regulations, the Owner, Agent, Master or person-in-charge of a vessel at anchor, must at all times have on board the vessel a sufficient number of personnel that are capable of veering cable and keeping anchor lights burning in addition to taking the appropriate actions in the case of an emergency.

In the interest of navigational safety, vessels at anchor in port are at advised to:
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• ensure that a safe anchor watch is maintained;
• constantly monitor its position and the position of other anchored vessel for signs of anchor dragging, Allison or risk of grounding;
• keep the vessel's engines on short notice and in a state readiness for immediate use, in case of emergencies;
• monitor for signs of adverse weather and tidal conditions developing;
• ensure sufficient scope of anchor cable is paid out according to the prevailing circumstances and conditions;
• ensure that there is sufficient swinging room, while maintaining a safe distance from other vessels at all times;
• maintain a continuous listening watch on the designated VHF channels for the respective sector where the vessel is anchored in; &
• that the Master remains responsible for the safety of his vessel at anchor and shall undertake all necessary measures to that effect without undue delay. Additionally, the Master shall not hesitate to call for Pilot assistance if the prevailing circumstances or conditions warrant such an action.

Vessels under active employment or undergoing repairs must have their full operational crew onboard. In all other cases, the Port Master requires pursuant to Reg. 9(3) of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Port) Regulations that at least half the number of officers, engineers and crew (or watchmen/security guards) or the minimum manning requirements of the vessel, must be onboard at all times.

The Master or person-in-charge of every vessel at anchor in port shall maintain a continuous navigational watch and comply with the STCW Code, Chapter VIII Section A-VIII/2, Part 3-1 S/No. 51. The Master or person-in-charge of every vessel at anchor in port shall also be guided by the IMO Circular STCW.7/Circ.14 – “Guidance for Masters on keeping a Safe Anchor Watch”.
PMC 03/21 - Link here

(4) Resolutions adopted by the 74th session of the Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) (27 April 2020)

MPA has urged the shipping community to take notice of the resolutions adopted by the MEPC 74 and urges that the shipping community prepare for the implementation of these resolutions. Shipping Circular No.8 of 2020 provides a summary of the resolutions and their respective dates which they come into effect.

We have provided a short summary here.

(5) Guidelines on the medical examination of seafarers and seafarer's medical certificate (30 March 2020)

Shipping Circulars No.5 of 2020 supersedes Shipping Circular No.13 of 2013.

• MPA has adopted IMO/ILO's set of guidelines on the medical examination and certification of seafarers. The guidelines have been published as IMO's circular STCW.7/Circular 19 which is attached in ANNEX A of Shipping Circular No.5 of 2020.
• As part of the adopted guidelines MPA has stated that:
  • 1) every seafarer working onboard Singapore Registered Ships shall hold a valid seafarer's medical certificate;
  • 2) a seafarer's medical certificate shall follow the requirements of minimum information to be provided in the certificate as set out in the STCW Convention 1978, as amended; and the medical standards set out in the IMO's circular STCW.7/Circular 19 (In ANNEX A of Shipping Circulars No.5 of 2020); and
  • 3) these standards should also meet the requirements as prescribed in the ILO's Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006.

Recognition of Medical Practitioners:

• MPA accepts valid seafarer's medical certificate issued by the following medical practitioners:
  • a) Those registered medical practitioners licensed to practice in Singapore and familiar with the guidelines on the medical examination and certification of seafarers. A list is given in the website http://www.healthprofessionals.gov.sg; or
  • b) Medical practitioners recognised by an STCW State Party in the "IMO White List". Please refer to the updated revision of the IMO document MSC.1/Circ.1163/ for the latest "IMO white list, as the list is updated from time to time; or
  • c) A medical practitioner recognised by an MLC State Party and familiar with the guidelines on the medical examination and certification of seafarers; or
  • d) Any other medical practitioners that are accepted by the Director.
• Sample formats for the 'Record of Medical Examinations of Seafarer" and "Seafarer's Medical Certificate" are provided in ANNEX B and ANNEX C of Shipping Circulars No.5 of 2020.

Seafarer's Medical Certificate

• MPA states that recognised medical practitioners are required to use the format given in ANNEX C of Shipping Circulars No.5 of 2020 when issuing seafarer's medical certificates. They are also required to retain records of medical inspection of seafarers for at least 3 years.
• Seafarer's medical certificates shall be valid for not more than 2 years or not more than 1 year in the case of a seafarer under the age of 18 years. If a seafarer's medical certificate expires in the course of a voyage, then the certificate shall remain valid until the next port of call. 
• MPA states there are 3 categories of seafarer's medical certificates which may be issued to the following persons:
  • a) able to perform all duties worldwide within designated department (unlimited); or
  • b) able to perform some but not all routine and emergency duties or to work in limited area (e.g. within 30 miles from a port) (L - limited duration or R - limited job scope); or
  • c) incompatible with the reliable performance of routine and emergency duties safely or effective (Temporary or Permanent - unfit for sea service). 
• A seafarer who has been refused issuance of a seafarer's medical certificate or has a limitation imposed on the certificate can appeal to the Director of Marine for review by another independent medical practitioner.
• Ship managers and masters should ensure that seafarers are only deployed to perform duties for which they are medically fit. 
• Any queries regarding this topic should be directed to MPA (Email as provided in the circular: COC@mpa.gov.sg)

​Please refer to Shipping Circulars No.5 of 2020 dated 24 March 2020 for the full circular and information. The circular can be found here.

Note: all statements in italics are copied from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's website​ and particularly in Shipping Circulars No.5 of 2020. All such statements belong to the author and/or MPA.​

(6) Implementation of Singapore Standard SS 648: 2019 - Code of practice for bunker mass flow metering (25 February 2020)

• Starting from 1 May 2020, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore mandates Singapore Standard 648:2019 for the custody transfer of bunker deliveries to ocean-going ships in the Port of Singapore. TR 48:2015 which is the existing bunkering standard will cease to apply by end November 2020. 
• Singapore Standard SS 648:2019 is a revision of TR 48:2015 which was implemented on 1 June 2016.
• Please see Port Marine Circular No.05 of 2020 for more information which is published on MPA's website. 

(7) Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 2019

• As of 1 January 2020, the amendments adopted to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) by the International Maritime Organisation at its 96th, 97th, 98th and 99th sessions will enter into force under Singapore law by way of the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations 2019. Specific details of the amendments can be found here (Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's Shipping Circular No.14 of 2018). News of the amendments entering into force can be found here (Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Shipping Circular No. 13 of 2019).

(8) 1996 Protocol to the Convention of Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976

• As of 29 December 2019, Singapore has implemented the 1996 Protocol to the Convention of Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976 (LLMC 1976)

Page last updated 01 September 2021

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