Singapore issues guidelines for preventing pollution during bunkering operations

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has issued a circular with guidelines for preventing pollution during bunkering operations.

This circular was published on 22 March 2023 and superseded Port Marine Circular No. 13 of 2019.

Maritime and Port Authority draws the attention of ship masters and bunker craft operators to Regulation 7 of the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act:

Prohibition of discharge of oil and oily mixtures from ships

7(1) If any discharge of oil or oily mixture occurs from a Singapore ship into any part of the sea or from any ship into Singapore waters, the master, the owner and the agent of the ship shall each be guilty of an offence and shall each be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $1,000 and not more than $1 million or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.

In order to prevent oil spills caused by bunkering operations, which are generally due to operational lapses, the document provides guidelines for bunkering operations in Annex A and a bunkering checklist for bunkering tankers and receiving vessels in Annex B.

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):

RELEVANT DOCUMENTS:

Guidelines for Preventing Pollution During Bunkering Operations