Forging Ahead - Singapore Shipping Association

Tanker Sub-Committee
The Tanker Sub-Committee
is chaired by Mr Vijay
Bhandari of Teekay
Shipping (Singapore) Pte
Ltd. The Sub-Committee
engages itself in discussion
mainly on issues emerging
from the IMO and some local operations.
➥ OCIMF/SIRE Inspections in Singapore
At the request of a number of tanker operators,
a meeting was held between the members in
question and the terminal operators, with MPA
serving as the moderator.
The purpose of the meeting was to understand
and discuss the OCIMF SIRE requirements with
regard to vetting and inspection of tankers at
oil and storage terminals while undergoing
discharging operations, and to allow terminal
representatives to highlight their concerns in
permitting SIRE Vetting Inspections on ships that
are conducting discharging operations.
Following the meeting, a set of guidelines
and procedures for SIRE Inspections at private
terminals as well as a SIRE Inspection Request Form
(Singapore) was developed through consultation
with MPA and all oil terminal operators in
Singapore and with SSA, INTERTANKO and OCIMF.
These guidelines were then promulgated by MPA
in the form of MPA’s Port Marine Circular No. 05 of
2009 dated 8 April 2009.
Legal & Insurance Committee
Councillor Mr Nicholas Sansom served as the
Chairman of the Legal & Insurance Committee
until his resignation from the Council on 1 May 2009.
The Marine Insurance Sub-Committee falls under the
ambit of this Legal and Insurance Committee.
Provided below is a summary of the main issues that
have been addressed by the Committee and its Subcommittee
during the period in review:
S SS29
S
A
SS
➥ Bunkers Convention
The International Convention on Civil Liability
for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage (the “Bunkers
Convention”) entered into force on 21 November
2008. Under the Convention, all ships over 1,000
GT will need to possess a Bunker Convention
Certifi cate (the “Bunkers Certifi cate”) issued by
their Flag States when calling at a port that is
party to the Convention.
As Singapore had ratifi ed the Convention, this
Committee took the lead in liaising with the
MPA to ensure that procedures for the issuance of
Bunkers Certifi cates to Singapore-fl ag ships as well
as ships fl agged to non-Party States that called at
Singapore was effi cient and practicable.
The Committee further sought to explore the
feasibility of Singapore’s administration issuing
Bunkers Certifi cates to foreign-fl ag vessels that do
not call at Singapore although they are operated
or managed by Singapore based companies.
➥ IMO/ILO Guidelines on Fair Treatment
of Seafarers in the Event of a Maritime
Accident – Criminalisation of Seafarers
The Legal & Insurance Committee welcomed
an initiative by the International Chamber of
Shipping (ICS) to promote the IMO/ILO Guidelines.
To that effect, the Committee proposed that the
Association should promote the fair treatment of
seafarers.
It was further noted that the persecution of seafarers
was a major issue in light of the current shortage
of trained seafarers; such persecution would only
serve as an added disincentive for anyone interested
in pursuing a maritime career. In this regard, SSA
issued two Press Statements aimed at supporting
fair justifi cation for the two detained offi cers in
connection with the Hebei Spirit.
The Committee further agreed that it would work
with MPA to help ensure that Singapore does not
unfairly criminalise seafarers in the event of pollution
arising from a maritime accident.