Singapore setting up community to share best practices on safe navigation

Speaking at the opening of the two-day International Safety@Sea Conference, Singapore’s Minister of Transport Khaw Boon Wan said the MPA would be establishing a “Community of Practice” as a platform for international maritime administrations and other non-governmental organisations to come together.

“This Community of Practice will complement existing forums such as the Co-operative Mechanism and the Tripartite Technical Experts Group that adopts an integrated and multi-stakeholder approach to ensuring safe, efficient and secure navigation in our part of the world that is applicable worldwide,” Khaw explained.

The Community of Practice will start in August 2017 and be held every two years.

Singapore’s Safety@Sea campaign was launched in 2014 and Khaw said the authorities had seen results with just one incident in 2015 compared to four in 2014. “But we are not there yet. The collision earlier this month involving a tanker and a container vessel in Singapore waters is a stark reminder. We have to continue to spare no effort to improve safety at sea.”

On 3 August the 319,988-dwt VLCC Dream II owned by National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC) and the 14,000-teu MSC Alexandra owned by Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) collided in Singapore waters.