The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) announced they will provide to passenger vessels a 50% port dues concession, to assist those who have experienced a drop in passenger volumes due to COVID-19 outbreak.
The Authority noted that the concession will be provided by March 1 2020 until August 31, 2020 and will be on top of all existing port dues concession.
Those qualified for the new concession include all cruise vessels and regional ferries with a port stay of not more than five days, and passenger-carrying harbour craft. This move is expected to benefit more than 600 cruise vessels, regional ferries and passenger-carrying harbour craft, bringing total savings of over $1 million in the six-month period.
The new port dues concession for passenger vessels is part of the COVID-19 relief package announced today by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat.
Overall, the virus was firstly detected in the central city of Wuhan, China. It causes a type of pneumonia and includes signs of infection including respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. The outbreak has already affected the sector by disrupting shipping operations, as BIMCO recently commented.
