MPA issued a new requirement for crew change: no more than 5 people per group during the journey!

On May 6, the Maritime and Ports Authority of Singapore (MPA) again issued a Port Maritime Notice (No. 14 of 2021), updating the crew shift requirements for cargo ships arriving at the port of Singapore.

The requirements for boarding and disembarking in Singapore are as follows:

The boat -

(a) In general, seafarers who sign on board must provide them with a 21-day Certificate of Isolation (SHN) in their country of origin before travelling to Singapore from their point of origin. Crew members should be completely isolated in rooms with private washrooms and should not interact with others (including family members) in their residence.

(b) Seafarers from certain low-risk countries/territories are either not required to be quarantined in their country of origin prior to departure from port or to be quarantined for a shorter period of up to 7 days in their country of origin. Please visit the ICA website (https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/files/SHN-and-swab-summary.pdf), do not use them to learn to 7 days or low risk of SHN the latest list of countries/regions.

(c) The crew must be tested negative for COVID-19 at a government or ISO 15189 accredited testing institution in their country of origin and must depart for Singapore no earlier than 72 hours.

(d) Seafarers must be certified fit to travel by a medical practitioner in their country of origin within 24 hours prior to their departure for Singapore.

(e) The number of crew members shall not exceed five during the entire crew shift, including the journey to Singapore, and shall be kept in the same group with no interaction between the groups.

(f) Crew members can join the ship only two days before the ship's final departure from Singapore. For a ship returning to Singapore, the date of departure from the last port will not be considered as the ship's final date of departure.

(g) The crew may join the ship in Singapore only after all high-risk shore-based personnel have completed their work on board and disembarked.

(h) A greeting-in service must be arranged for boarding personnel arriving at Changi Airport to escort them from the moment of boarding to transfer them to a designated quarantine facility until boarding or arrival by the Agent.

(I) Crew members recovering from COVID-19 must submit documentary evidence of their past COVID-19 diagnosis based on the earliest positive PCR test results. If the date of the positive PCR test result is 21 days or less before arrival in Singapore, the shift will not be approved. If the date of the positive PCR test results exceeds the date of arrival in Singapore by more than 21 days, the above boarding requirements shall be complied with.

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(a) During the last 21 days prior to disembarkation, the crew shall be in good health and have not been in contact with any known or suspected cases of COVID-19 for the entire period.

(b) Seafarers must refrain from interacting with shore personnel at previous ports of call during the past 21 days.

(c) Before disembarking from the ship, the crew must obtain a certificate of fitness for travel from a Singapore doctor within 24 hours. Telemedicine can be used to obtain an assessment and certification of fitness for travel. Will MPA be registered with the Medical Council of Singapore? Certificate of fitness for travel issued by A medical practitioner meeting the requirements of Annex A.

(d) Crew members undergoing serological tests should remain on board until a negative serological test result of COVID-19 is produced.

Ports Ocean Circular (No. 14 of 2021) further informs:

· Designate crew replacement facilities in Singapore

·CrewSafe approved facilities

· Waiting areas at Ocean South Terminal and West Coast Terminal

· Preventive measures provided by the service provider for crew shift changes

· Precautionary measures for the crew during the voyage

· COVID-19 testing before departure from Singapore