MPA Singapore: What should vessels watch when calling in Singapore during COVID-19

Contactless operations and contactless operations with segregation protocol

Owners, agents and masters of vessels must ensure that all port operations are carried out contactless or contactless with segregation protocol. In a contactless operation, no person is to board the visiting vessel except MPA-licensed harbour pilots, authorised government officers, and persons approved by the Port Master.

Parties involved in a contactless operation must minimally ensure the following:

• Communicate and/or send documents by telephone text message or email.
• If items must be transferred from one vessel to another, disinfect these items and equipment thoroughly before and after the transfer.

For transferring of supplies, the owner, master and/or agent of visiting vessels and the services provider involved must ensure the following:

• The supply boat’s crew must not board the visiting vessel;
• Disinfect equipment used for the transfer of supplies thoroughly before and after the transfer;
•  Communicate and/or send documents by telephone text message or email.

Requirements for enterprises with shore-based personnel boarding vessels

All owners, occupiers and managers of any waterfront facility must not allow any shore-based personnel who has any specified symptom or is otherwise physically unwell, to go on board the vessel.

The owner, agent and master of the vessel which the shore-based personnel is boarding, must check and not allow the shore-based personnel to board if the personnel has any specified symptom or is otherwise physically unwell.

All shore-based personnel boarding vessels are to be fully vaccinated. Non-fully vaccinated individuals – other than recovered individuals or medically ineligible individuals – will not be allowed to board any vessels in the port.

Furthermore, the owner, agent and master must establish and apply procedures and adequate controls, when any shore-based personnel are on board.

Additionally, employers of shore-based personnel are reminded to take note of all available health advisories and bring it to the attention of their employees. Employers are responsible to brief their employees on the COVID-19 requirements and measures, i.e. applicable requirements and measures before boarding and while onboard vessels and/or harbour craft in port.

Failure to comply with the requirements may result in a breach of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Port) Regulations or the COVID-19 Regulations 2020.

Measures for vessels when shore-based personnel are going on board

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 appropriate personal protective equipment such as face mask (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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Designate 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 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 wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as face mask (unless the work activity requires that no mask be worn).
• Must minimise interaction with the ship’s crew or passenger, 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. As far as it is reasonably practicable, ensure a safe distance of at least 1 metre between himself or herself and any other individual on board.
• Must not loiter in the crew living or common areas.
• Must 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 shore-based personnel to use.

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