Singapore, 19 August 2015 | For immediate release
MPA Collaborates with Industry to Enhance Safety At Sea
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) today kicked off the 2nd Maritime Safety Forum, as part of Safety@Sea Week 2015 happening from 17 to 21 August, to share and promote safety practices for the maritime community.
For the second year running, participants of the Maritime Safety Forum will have the opportunity to hear from various industry experts on navigation and shipboard safety, passenger ferries and cruise safety as well as the legal and insurance aspects of shipping. Prof. Richard Lim, Chairman of the newly established National Maritime Safety at Sea Council will be delivering the keynote address at the forum.
Since the launch of the Safety@Sea campaign in July last year, MPA has reached out to over 500 shipping companies and distributed some 2,000 information kits to shipmasters, containing posters and decals to promote safety at sea. MPA also organised regular briefing sessions to the shipping community to emphasise the importance of safe practices at sea.
The Safety@Sea campaign is a collaborative effort with the private sector and maritime industry. As part of the campaign, MPA formed working groups with different sectors of the industry, namely the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA), pilotage service provider PSA Marine Pte Ltd (PSAM), operators of regional ferries and pleasure craft communities to enhance safety of navigation in the Port of Singapore.
The various working groups meet regularly to discuss safety issues and brainstorm new ideas to enhance safety of navigation. These sessions have led to a slew of practical measures implemented by MPA, such as the revision of Pilot Eastern Boarding Ground on 1 January 2015, to enhance the safety of vessel approaches to the Port of Singapore. Details can be found on MPA’s Port Marine Circular:
http://www.mpa.gov.sg/sites/circulars_and_notices/pdfs/port_marine_circulars/pc14-15.pdf
MPA also implemented a voluntary
safety reporting and suggestion framework on 1April 2015 for shipmasters to report good practices and near-miss cases. All ships plying in Singapore port waters and the Singapore Strait are encouraged to report to MPA if near misses and good practices are encountered and/or observed. Details can be found on MPA’s Port Marine Circular:
http://www.mpa.gov.sg/sites/circulars_and_notices/pdfs/port_marine_circulars/pc15-04.pdf
To enhance navigation safety and situational awareness, MPA will be replacing the Harbour Craft Transponder System (HARTS) with new Automatic Identification System-B (AIS–B) transponders and Electronic Chart Systems (ECS) on all small harbour and pleasure craft. The installation of the enhanced transponders and systems on these vessels will commence in September 2015 and is expected to complete by December 2016. The Government will bear the cost of fitting the AIS-B transponders and ECS, which will cost about S$6.8 million.
On the passenger ferry front, MPA is working on a joint project with the Association of Regional Ferry Operators to develop an innovative under-seat life jacket receptacle onboard ferry, so that life vests can be easily accessible in times of emergency.
To create greater safety awareness, MPA is producing a maritime safety video with BIMCO, one of the world’s largest international shipping associations. It is a practical video guide with scenarios on the local navigating environment to assist mariners visualise the passage through the Strait including possible traffic conditions. The video will be distributed to shipping companies free of charge.
The safety promotional efforts by MPA and the industry have shown positive results. Last year, the incident rate is one of the lowest ever, with 0.005 incidents per 1,000 vessel traffic movements, compared to 0.008 in 2013. For the first six months of this year, the incident rate is 0.003 incidents per 1,000 vessel traffic movements.
Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA said, "The results from our Safety@Sea Singapore campaign have been very encouraging. Last year, the incident rate is one of the lowest ever and for the first six months this year we also saw a low incident rate. Ensuring safety at sea is a shared responsibility. We will continue to work closely with our industry partners to instil a strong safety culture. Afterall, the chain is only as strong as the weakest link.”
At the Maritime Safety Forum, Mr Andrew Tan also presented certificates of commendation to 10 PSA Marine harbour pilots who have displayed exemplary effort in safe practices.
Throughout the Safety@Sea Week, specially tailored workshops and forums will be held for ferries, harbour craft and pleasure craft communities to share experiences and discuss best practices. As part of MPA’s continued efforts to enhance operational readiness, MPA in collaboration with experts from the International Maritime Rescue Federation, is organising a Regional Mass Rescue Operations Workshop and a simulated ferry rescue exercise.
<End of release>
About the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was established on 2 February 1996, with the mission to develop Singapore as a premier global hub port and international maritime centre (IMC), and to advance and safeguard Singapore's strategic maritime interests. MPA is the driving force behind Singapore's port and maritime development, taking on the roles of Port Authority, Port Regulator, Port Planner, IMC Champion, and National Maritime Representative. MPA partners the industry and other agencies to enhance safety, security and environmental protection in our port waters, facilitate port operations and growth, expand the cluster of maritime ancillary services, and promote maritime R&D and manpower development.
For more information, please contact:
Serene Liu
Manager
Corporate Communications Department
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
DID: (65) 6375-1789
Hp: (65) 9824-6525
