Singapore warns against indiscriminate anchoring

The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) stated that while the port’s anchorages were busy, they were not overcrowded, but took aim at owners anchoring vessels outside port limits.
MPA group director M Segar said there were 400-500 vessels anchored in port daily, which while higher than last year, was only about a 65% utilisation rate.
Ninety-five per cent of the ships were anchored for less than 10 days and Capt Segar repeated earlier statements by the port authority that there were no laid-up ships in Singapore port waters.
“There have been no lay-ups in our port, and our port dues are structured to actively discourage laying up in our port,” he said.
According to the MPA, the number of reported incidents at port anchorages so far this year was nine, the same as last year.
However, the MPA issued a warning on the risk to navigational safety caused by around 150 ships anchored outside port limits.
Singapore’s eastern and western outside port limit anchorages are thin strips between the edge of the port waters and the traffic separation scheme, which are popular with owners as they do not have to pay port dues.  Where vessels have strayed into the traffic separation scheme, the MPA has taken action.
“For ships anchored in the traffic separation scheme of the Singapore Straits, the Singapore vessel traffic system actively reports them to their respective flag administrations and also shipowners where possible, for appropriate action, as these ships are violating the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea,” Capt Segar said.
However, the MPA noted that most vessels anchored outside port limits were not in the TSS but anchored “indiscriminately”.
“The Singapore vessel traffic system actively advises these ships against doing so, as such indiscriminate anchoring poses a risk to navigational safety, even though they are outside the TSS,” he said.
An increase in incidents outside port limits was noted this year, with 16 minor incidents so far, four more than the same period last year.