MPA: Drop in major incidents in Singapore waters, but safety still important

SINGAPORE – The number of major incidents in Singapore’s waters has fallen over the years but safety standards must be maintained as more vessels are calling here, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said on Thursday.

There were six major incidents in waters here last year, down from eight such incidents in 2012 and 13 in 2011. Major incidents include those where there were loss of lives, ferry or passenger ship mishaps, and oil or chemicals spills that required multiple agencies to clean up.

This drop contrasts against the sharp increase in vessel arrivals here in 2013: the annual vessel arrival tonnage was a record 2.33 billion gross tonnes last year.

The MPA shared these figures at the launch of its inaugural Safety@Sea campaign yesterday, where it aims to raise awareness of safe practices and inculcate a safety-first culture at sea.

MPA: Drop in major incidents in Singapore waters, but safety still important