The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) conducted a table-top exercise (TTX) with Indonesia and Malaysia to improve regional coordination for oil spill response. The exercise involved over 20 representatives from MPA, Indonesia’s Directorate General of Sea Transportation, Malaysia’s Environment Department, and oil spill response experts from ITOPF.
The TTX, led by MPA in its capacity as chair of the Revolving Fund Committee (RFC), focused on communication procedures, rapid asset deployment, and collaboration between government agencies and oil spill response companies for incidents in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS).
The RFC, established in 1981, is a funding mechanism that allows littoral states to draw cash advances to combat oil spills. The strategies and deployment plans tested in the TTX will be further exercised in a Ground Deployment Exercise with the three littoral states and ITOPF in 2026.
Established on February 2, 1996, the MPA's mission is to develop Singapore as a premier global hub port and international maritime center, and to advance and safeguard Singapore’s strategic maritime interests. The MPA acts as maritime and port regulator and planner, international maritime center champion, national maritime representative, and a champion of digitalization and decarbonization.
The MPA partners with industry, research community and other agencies to enhance safety, security, and environmental protection, facilitate maritime and port operations and growth, expand multi-domain capabilities, and support the cluster of maritime ancillary services and manpower development. The MPA is responsible for the overall development and growth of the maritime multi-domain and the Port of Singapore.
Indonesia’s Directorate General of Sea Transportation is a government agency under the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia responsible for regulating and overseeing sea transportation in Indonesia.
Malaysia’s Environment Department is a government agency under the Ministry of Environment and Water of Malaysia responsible for environmental protection and management in Malaysia.
The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF) is a non-profit organization providing information and advice on oil and chemical spills. It offers technical expertise and resources to help mitigate the impact of spills.