The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is taking
new steps to once again aid in crew changes while also ensuring safe port
operations. These steps come after Singapore had taken steps earlier in the
summer to restrict crew changes through the port after incidents of potential
COVID-19 exposure.
The MPA announced that it will be establishing a new
self-contained Crew Facilitation Centre (CFC) aboard three floating
accommodation barges at the Tanjong Pagar Terminal. The facility will have an
onsite medical center, testing and holding facilities for crew signing aboard
vessels in Singapore. Opening on September 1, the CFC is dedicated to sign-on
crew providing housing for up to 48 hours before boarding their ship. This was
an important step as previously the MPA had restricted crew members from
staying at onshore after incidents in which arriving crew members might have
exposed the community to the virus.
The CFC will be available to arriving crew members to ease
some of the coordination issues between flight schedules and ships. Crew
signing off ships will continue to proceed to depart Singapore or if necessary,
stay at existing designated holding facilities for up to 48 hours, and be
strictly segregated from the community.
In addition to the new accommodation facility, the MPA also
announced enhancements to the current rules for crew changes in the port of
Singapore. The MPA said as of September 1, it would be expanding it efforts
considering applications from international crew whose employment contracts has
expired, crew who could sign-off without impacting the safe manning of the
ship, changes due to the sale or purchase of a ship, or people such as
superintendents and service engineers who might be aboard arriving ships. In
addition, it continues to consider compassionate leave and crew that are not
medically fit to work onboard.
The regulations for sign-on crew generally require a 14-day
isolation before traveling to Singapore along with a negative COVID-19 test,
but from specific low-risk countries, the isolation period is being reduced to
7-days or not required at all. Crew, however, previously diagnosed with COVD-19
must have had their first positive test more than 21 days before departure to
Singapore and all arriving crew must have a doctor’s fit to travel certificate
issued no more than 24-hours before departure.
Singapore is permit crew to arrive in small groups of not
more than five. Crew must stay within their group while in Singapore and the
ship must leave within 48-hours of their arrival.
For crew signing off, they need to have not gone ashore in
the last 14 days before disembarking and have been well for that period. They
also need to be certified by a Singapore doctor not more than 24 hours before
disembarkation.
As part of its efforts, the MPA has also enhanced
precautionary measures for ships calling at the port for repairs, surveys, and
inspections that require shore personnel boarding the ship. Previously, there
had been an incident in which an electrician from shore went aboard a ship
where it was later discovered that some of the crew was COVID-19 positive. The
MPA has also issued a notice to all harbor pilots on additional precautionary
measures to take when conducting pilotage duties on ships.
The MPA noted that almost all Singapore-registered ships
managed to conduct crew change, including in Singapore, except for two percent
of the crew onboard with extended contracts. MPA said it will continue to work
closely with the owners, operators, and managers regarding these remaining
seafarers and also seeks to support the international shipping industry with
these rules for crew changes.
To further accelerate the process and support the
development of best practices for a safe crew change, the MPA along with the
Singapore Shipping Association, Singapore Maritime Officers' Union, and
Singapore Organization of Seamen also announced they will establish a Singapore
Shipping Tripartite Alliance Resilience Fund with approximately US$700,000. The
fund will work with stakeholders in seafaring nations on developing solutions
for safe crew changes, such as initiatives on best practices for crew holding
facilities and PCR testing centers.