New Cruising Regs For Cruising Yachts In Singapore Port

[Lighthouse]

It seems that new regulations are being devised all around the world daily that affect us cruisers.

Singapore Port Authority Regulations for yachts:

http://www.mpa.gov.sg/circulars_and_...fs/pc07-03.pdf

[MMNETSEA]

Note this regulation as been in effect since 1st July 2007, it effects only those yachts that are not licensed as pleasure craft

Moderator is in contact with marinas that have been selected to hire out the transponders to get their fix on the application of this regulation - specifically to get clarification regarding the term "Licensed Pleasure Craft".

There is also the question of cost - example a 14 day rental requires an outlay of $525 Singapore.

= 361$ US of which the deposit of 206$ US is refundable at the end of the rental -- the daily cost is 11$ US.

[MMNETSEA]

For those who might ask what is a "IMO AIS TRANSPONDER"

Here is the International Maritime Organisation rules' regarding who it applies to etc >>>

http://194.196.162.45/Safety/mainframe.asp?topic_id=754

[MMNETSEA]

This morning this moderator spoke to a number of yachts presently in Singapore marinas , none have applied for a cruising permit and/or a transponder.

General understanding is "That it only applies to yachts that are moving from one marina to another in Singapore" Example :- if a yacht arrives in Raffles Marina from Indonesian waters , the regulation does not apply to that yacht whilst it remains in Raffles or if on leaving Raffles it proceeds to Malaysia.

Richard

[JeanneP]

Singapore has always been difficult, in the past giving visitors only a two-week visa. Just before we left in 2002 they were issuing longer visas for US citizens, and perhaps (I'm not sure) others. Singapore is surrounded by people who don't like Singaporeans very much, and it's a very little piece of land that cannot feed itself and relies on an occasionally hostile Malaysia for its water. They must be ever vigilant and have courted the US who needs a welcoming harbor in that part of the world now that the Philippines doesn't want the US there. How much of the latest regulations are at the urging of the US, I wonder?

I think that there are so many issues here in addition to Singapore's immigration issues. It is an incredibly busy shipping port in an area that is, justifiably or not, notorious for pirates. Considering the nervousness of ships in the area and the increased presence of US military vessels, I can understand their requirement for AIS transponders on all boats. I wonder if the local malaysian fishing boats will be required to have AIS transponders. I doubt it.

No matter, only once did we check into Singapore in our boat. It is much easier to check into Malaysia. We anchored off the police dock in Johore Bahru, checking into Malaysia and taking the bus into Singapore when we wanted to get things there. Friendly people, the Malaysians there.

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by JeanneP

We anchored off the police dock in Johore Bahru, checking into Malaysia and taking the bus into Singapore when we wanted to get things there. Friendly people, the Malaysians there.

No longer possible to use the Police dock. Yachts now prefer to anchor in Free Danga Bay and use very close facilties to go to Singapore if necessary.

[MMNETSEA]

Greetings and Complements of the the Season.

GOOD NEWS for those visiting Singapore - who are NOT moving from one marina to another in Singapore

Received this morning from Kepple Bay Marina (The substance also confirmed by the other marinas and few cruisers presently in Singapore)

"Rental of transponder and cruising permit are only applicable to visiting yachts who will be cruising within Singapore waters during their visit here eg.from a marina to another local marina, to island hop, to a shipyard. Maritime Port of Authority (of Singapore) is able to keep track of the yachts once transponder is onboard and activated – an act to locate yachts easily during emergency distress and also in the hope of decreasing the accident rate in the local waters as Singapore is a busy port. One can rent the transponder from most marina.

Visiting yachts who will head straight to a marina from their last port of call, yacht stays in the marina all the time during visit, and out straight to their next port of call at end of visit do not require the transponder and permit.

Happy New Year to you

Regards,

Nooraini

Marina Coordinator

Marina at Keppel Bay

2 Keppel Bay Vista

Singapore 098382

Lat 001° 15.9' N Long 103° 48.7' E

Tel: +65 6303 8434

DID: +65 6303 8441

Fax: +65 6275 8532

www.marinakeppelbay.com "