Singapore adds incentives for salvage companies
Singapore has added salvage to its maritime hub ambitions with an incentive for salvors introduced this year.
Speaking at the opening of a salvage conference on Friday Cheong Keng Soon, director port division for the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said: “The Singapore government remains committed to attract international shipping and related services to establish and expand their operations in Singapore.”
The city state is currently home to nine salvage companies and this year introduced a scheme for reduced port dues for salvage vessels.
“Under this scheme, the owner, agent or master of a salvage vessel approved by MPA that carry requisite salvage equipment and who commits to respond to MPA's mobilisation calls when the vessel is available, may opt to pay port dues for a 12-month period or part thereof with no restriction on its maximum stay and mooring locations,” Cheong explained.
In the case of the salvage of the containership in Rena off New Zealand a crane barge was sent from Singapore.