Ensuring safety at sea is a shared responsibility. MPA and the National Maritime Safety at Sea Council (NMSSC) are developing a new volunteer programme to build and train a network of community volunteers. This would complement government agencies’ response to search and rescue efforts within Singapore waters. MPA will consult various stakeholders and share further details in 2024.
During the IS@S Conference, Chairman of NMSSC presented the IS@S Awards to two companies for their outstanding contributions to Search and Rescue (SAR) efforts in 2022.
NYK Shipmanagement Pte Ltd, and the master and crew of HELIOS LEADER, were recognised for their role in a challenging SAR operation amidst adverse weather conditions on 7 November 2022. More than 300 people were rescued from a sinking boat in the South China Sea, and brought onboard the ship about four hours after it received the distress message from MRCC Singapore.
Pacific International Lines, and the master and crew of KOTA SURIA, were recognised for assistance rendered after responding to a distress message off West Africa in the Gulf of Guinea on 9 April 2022. Despite the security risks in this location, they deviated from course for about four hours before finding and rescuing the entire crew of a cargo vessel that had stopped at sea due to water ingress and flooding of the engine room. KOTA SURIA was only able to resume its voyage seven days later after the rescued crew onboard KOTA SURIA disembarked at Cape Town.
Multi-agency Ferry Rescue Exercise (FEREX)
As part of IS@S Week, the annual multi-agency Ferry Rescue Exercise (FEREX) will be conducted to validate Singapore’s operational readiness and response capabilities in the event of a ferry mishap incident, on 24 October. FEREX comprises a Table-Top Exercise and a Ground Deployment Exercise, involving eight vessels, a helicopter and over 180 personnel from close to 30 agencies, industry partners, and observer organisations. FEREX will simulate seaward and landward exercises off Pulau Bukom and at the Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal.
This year’s FEREX scenario will be centred on an electric ferry mishap for the first time, reflecting the need to ensure Singapore is well-prepared for potential battery operated craft mishaps as more electric harbour craft ply our waters. The exercise will simulate excessive heat and battery fire in one of the two battery compartments onboard the electric ferry, and the resultant passengers’ evacuation, medical treatment and fire containment efforts by ferry crew and government agencies.
MPA’s Ferry Mishap Contingency Plan will be activated to evaluate the operational readiness of agencies and the ferry operator. Seaward resources, including patrol craft, firefighting rescue vessels, electric ferries, and a helicopter2 , will secure the area and manage passenger evacuation. At the terminal, the Singapore Civil Defence Force will render emergency medical treatment to “injured” passengers, while Singapore Police Force will handle security coverage. The terminal staff will also manage crowd control.
Singapore Registry of Ships Forum (SRS Forum)
MPA will also host the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) Forum on 26 October. Themed “Safe, Secure & Sustainable Shipping”, this annual forum will bring together 300 representatives from the industry and government agencies to facilitate dialogues and knowledge-sharing on key issues, challenges, and opportunities in the areas of maritime digitalisation, safety, security and decarbonisation.
The SRS Top Net Tonnage Contributor and Green Ship Programme (GSP) will be presented at the forum. This year, 22 Singapore-flagged ships from 10 companies will receive Green Ship certificates through the GSP. Since 2011, more than 650 ships have been recognised as green ships. Please refer to Annex C for the complete list of SRS Awards recipients, including the SRS Top Net Tonnage Contributor and ships receiving the Green Ship Certificates.
Additionally, 71 seafarers will be awarded the Sail Milestone Achievement Programme (SailMAP) financial incentives worth $455,000. The SailMAP provides each eligible local seafarer with up to $50,000 as they achieve key milestones in their seafaring training, leading to the Certificate of Competency Class 1, the highest level of shipboard competency.
The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Xinde Marine News.
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