Port authority takes pollution from ships seriously

Straits Times Forum 2 Jan 09;

I REFER to the letter by Mr Edmund Hoe, 'Unwanted imports' (Dec 23), which asks 'have we done enough to safeguard the cleanliness of our precious coastline and water?'.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) takes the responsibility of protecting the environment from ship-source pollution seriously.

MPA strictly enforces regulations governing the prevention of pollution from ships calling at our port. These regulations are based on the International Maritime Organisation's International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, and comprehensively cover oil, chemicals, harmful substances in packaged forms, sewage, garbage and even air pollution from ships.

We monitor ships in port to ensure they comply with the regulations and do not discharge waste into the water. Prosecution will be taken against a ship master if the ship infringes these regulations.

Additionally, an MPA-appointed contractor provides a daily garbage collection service for the ships anchored in our port. This contractor also operates another fleet of craft that monitors and retrieves floating debris from the sea.

These measures contribute towards ensuring the cleanliness of our port waters and coastline. We would like to assure the public that MPA remains vigilant in the prevention of pollution from ships.

Capt Lee Cheng Wee
Port Master
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore