Singapore: The Straits of Malacca and Singapore remain some of the busiest and most important shipping lanes in the world. It is a vital sea line of communication, carrying about one third of the world’s traded goods and used by ships voyaging from West to East.
A pamphlet entitled ‘Safe Passage: The Straits of Singapore and Malacca’, was officially launched at the 93rd session of the International Maritime Organization Maritime Safety Committee, held in London. The Safe Passage pamphlet is the result of an initiative pursued within the Co-operative Mechanism, a framework established in 2007 which the littoral states of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and users of the straits, pool their respective resources and expertise in an effort to enhance navigational safety and protection of the marine environment in the area.
The Safe Passage pamphlet was first proposed by the international shipping association BIMCO in 2012. It is intended to be a handy tool for users of the straits on navigational guidelines and best practices to be observed, and the importance of adhering to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs).
The Safe Passage pamphlet also presents useful information on collision prevention measures, night signals for vessels crossing the Traffic Separation Scheme in the Singapore Strait, local rules for ships transiting the straits, advice on anchoring and weather conditions affecting visibility such as haze and heavy rain.
The Safe Passage pamphlet is available as a PDF download from the Co-operative Mechanism’s website and BIMCO’s website. [20/05/14]
