MPA Singapore: COVID-19 safety requirements for crew arriving in Port of Singapore

In light of the outbreak situation, all vessel’s crew must comply with the following while in the Port of Singapore:

•  Wear a mask at all times (unless the work activity requires that no mask be worn).
• As far as is reasonably practicable, keep a distance of at least one metre apart from each other.
• Take and record temperature twice daily.
• Observe good personal hygiene by washing your hands regularly and refrain from touching your face.
• Maintain good hygiene in the vessel’s accommodation areas by cleaning frequently touched surfaces (e.g. desk, chart tables, dining tables, bridge/engine room consoles, door handles, handholds, switches, telephones/VHF handsets, faucets).

Measures for vessels when shore-based personnel are going onboard

The owner, master, or agent of the vessel in the port, must establish and apply procedures and adequate controls, to comply with the following:

• All crew members and shore-based personnel must wear a mask4 at all times (unless the work activity requires that no mask be worn) and, as far as is reasonably practicable, keep a distance of at least one metre apart from each other. In addition, the shore-based personnel must properly wear other appropriate personal protective equipment, where necessary, such as gloves and gown, without jeopardising operational and personal safety.
• All crew members must take and record their temperature twice daily.
• All crew members must maintain good hygiene in the vessel’s accommodation areas by cleaning frequently touched surfaces (e.g. desk, chart tables, dining tables, bridge/engine room consoles, door handles, handholds, switches, telephones/VHF handsets, faucets, etc.)
• The vessel must have a safe management plan for management of shore-based personnel boarding the vessel. Crew members to be briefed on the plan and to comply with the precautionary measures.
• Unwell crew members and/or passengers must be isolated onboard the vessel.
• Shore-based personnel who are unwell must be denied access to the vessel.
• Records of all embarkation/disembarkation of shore-based personnel must be maintained.
• Briefing on the safe management measures must be carried out for the shore-based personnel boarding the vessel and/or harbour craft and logged down for record purposes.
• A responsible officer onboard must be appointed to monitor/ensure the compliance of safe management measures by all crew and shore-based personnel onboard his vessel.
• Minimise interaction of crew with shore-based personnel as far as reasonably practicable.
• Designate a separate, clean and disinfected place that is a fully enclosed as a rest area, and dedicated toilets for only shore-based personnel to use.
• No loitering in the crew living or common areas.
• Ensure that shore-based personnel do not remain onboard for a longer period than necessary to discharge their duties, and not in any case, stay onboard overnight.
• Ensure that shore-based personnel do not consume any food or drinks from the ships’ stores.
• Ensure that the shore-based personnel consumes only his/her own food or beverage that the shore-based personnel brought along, using his/her own utensils.
• Ensure that shore personnel consume his/her own food or beverage in an area separate, and at a safe distance, from the crew.
• Upon shore-based personnel disembarking the vessel, disinfect the areas that have been used and especially the frequently touched surfaces. The National Environment Agency’s guidance for disinfecting common areas and rooms should be followed.

Measures for shore-based personnel boarding a vessel in the Port of Singapore

Shore-based personnel boarding a vessel must comply with the following:

• Must have a valid COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test taken within the last 7 days as part of the rostered routine testing (RRT) programme before boarding the vessel.
• If the shore-based personnel is not enrolled on a RRT programme, he/she must have a valid negative test result from a COVID-19 PCR test or Antigen Rapid Test (ART) within 48 hours prior to boarding a vessel. After disembarking, these shorebased personnel must take a PCR test between the 5th and 7th day, and a final PCR test on the 11th day.
• Must check-in and check-out with the SmartEntry@Sea QR Code.
• Must not board a vessel if he/she does not have (a) or (b), or did not check-in with the SmartEntry@Sea QR Code; in any case, shore-based personnel who are unwell must not board a vessel.
• Must always wear a mask (unless the work activity requires that no mask be worn). In addition, shore-based personnel must properly wear other appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, and gown, without jeopardising operational and personal safety.
• Must bring disinfectant and/or sanitiser to disinfect their equipment and/or tools before and after completion of work.
• Must minimise interaction with the vessel’s crew, as far as reasonably practicable.
• Must bring and consume his/her own food and beverages, using his/her own utensils; and consume his/her meals in an area separate, and at a safe distance, from the vessel’s crew.
• Must not consume any food and beverages from the ships’ stores.
• Must ensure a safe distance of at least 1 metre between himself or herself and any other individual on board.
• Must not convene or take part in any gathering when on board except where necessary or in the course of the performance of his or her duties as shore-based personnel.
• No loitering in the crew living or common areas.
• Not remain onboard for a longer period than necessary to discharge his or her duties as a shore-based personnel, and not in any case, stay onboard overnight.
• Staff employed/contracted by terminal operator to avoid using the toilets onboard when they board a vessel that is berthed alongside the terminal. Where possible, the terminal operator is to provide dedicated toilet facilities ashore for only shorebased personnel to use.