The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) collaborated with the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) to organise the first in a series of dialogue sessions to the shipping community to reinforce the importance of the safety of navigation in the Singapore Strait and Singapore's port waters. Following the recent collisions, MPA announced several measures on Monday to minimise future marine incidents, MPA said in its press release.
The dialogue session was attended by more than 100 representatives from the shipping community, including shipowners, ship managers, ship charterers and shipping agents, who have direct channels to convey the safety messages to the ship masters and officers. The session covered the interim measures to be adopted, as well as reminders to the ships' crew on their responsibilities and practices on the safe navigation of their ships. The industry welcomed the session and took the opportunity to voice suggestions that could further enhance safe navigation within these waters, which would be considered through further dialogues between MPA and the shipping community.
MPA is also in the final stages of developing a safe passage guide for all mariners navigating in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, in cooperation with the littoral states of Malaysia and Indonesia and BIMCO, which will be made available as soon as it is ready.