The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has issued new guidance on safe navigation in the Strait of Singapore and adjacent waters and has reinforced its requirement that VLCCs and deep draught ships must observe a speed limit of 12 knots over the ground in some areas
The circular says: “VLCCs1 and deep draught vessels navigating in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore shall, as far as it is safe and practicable, proceed at a speed of not more than 12 knots over the ground in the following areas: (a) At One Fathom Bank traffic separation scheme; (b) Deep-water routes in the Phillip Channel and in Singapore Strait; and (c) Westbound lanes between positions 01°12.51’N, 103°52.15’E and 01°11.59’N, 103°50.21’E and between position 01°11.13’N, 103°49.08’E and 01°08.65’N,103°44.30’E.”
The issue of speed was raised in the 1997 prosecutions of the masters of the tankers Evoikos and Orapin Global when the advisory speed limit for deep draught ships was taken to apply to VLCCs in ballast as well as laden VLCCs. At the time the arbitrary imposition of a speed limit aimed at laden deep draught vessels on VLCCs in ballast, and the use of speed over the ground as the reference, caused disquiet in maritime circles. Also, the MPA’s definition of a VLCC as being a tanker of over 150,000 dwt differs from standard industry practice in which a vessel of over 250,000 dwt would be regarded as a VLCC. Most VLCCs built in recent years have been around 300,000 dwt.