PORT MARINE CIRCULAR NO. 08 OF 2026 - VHF RADIO TELEPHONE REPORTING PROCEDURES FOR VESSEL MANOEUVRING WITHIN THE TRAFFIC INFORMATION AREA (TIA) IN THE EAST JOHOR STRAIT INTRODUCTION
MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE
PORT MARINE CIRCULAR
NO. 08 OF 2026
28 Aug 2026
Shipping Community
Harbour Craft Community
Pleasure Craft Community
VHF RADIO TELEPHONE REPORTING PROCEDURES FOR VESSEL
MANOEUVRING WITHIN THE TRAFFIC INFORMATION AREA (TIA) IN THE
EAST JOHOR STRAIT INTRODUCTION
1 This circular supersedes the Port Marine Circular No 41 of 2020 dated 27 Oct
2020.
2 The directives and requirements stipulated in this circular are made pursuant
to Section 43 and Section 45 of the MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF
SINGAPORE ACT (CHAPTER 170A), which will come into operation on 01
September 2026.
DEFINITIONS
3 The following definitions are used only for the purpose of this circular:
(a) East Johor Strait (EJS) – the stretch of water contained within the
geographical co-ordinates shown in Appendix 1 up to the Causeway
in Johor Strait.
(b) Traffic Information Area (TIA) – the area contained within the
geographical co-ordinates shown in Appendix 2.
(c) Height – refers to the height declared by the vessel, measured vertically
from the waterline to the highest point of the vessel including its cargo,
structure or equipment on board. If there are extendible structures on
board, the highest point shall be the maximum height attainable by
these structures when fully extended, if such extended height exceeds
the verifiable with the appropriate plans or documents carried on board
the vessel.
(d) Night Time – refers to the hours between 1900 hrs and 0630 hrs.
(e) Sembawang Control – MPA’s designated communication centre for
EJS.
APPLICATION
4 This circular shall apply to the following:
(a) vessel(s) of 2000 GT or more;
(b) vessel(s) with height exceeding 30 metres;
(c) tug(s) when engaged in towing or pushing, the combined GT of the
tug(s) and tow(s) or vessel(s) being pushed is 2000 GT or more or
when any of the tug(s) or tow’s height exceed 30 metres.
SEMBAWANG CONTROL STATION
5 All movements of vessels are to be reported to Sembawang Control Station. It
operates on VHF Channel 21 and the reserved channel is VHF Channel 13.
6 All reports made to Sembawang Control Station shall be in English. Timings
shall be reported in local time following the 24-hour clock system.
7 Every vessel when underway or at anchor in EJS shall maintain a continuous
listening radiotelephone watch on VHF Channel 21.
NIGHT TOWING
8 Night towing operation is not permitted in the part of the East Johor Strait from
the Causeway to Angler Buoy Lat. 01° 21.10’N Long. 104° 03.01’E (WGS 84).
SPEED
9 The maximum speed of vessels in EJS shall not exceed 12 knots.
10 The maximum speed of vessels when passing the vicinity of Sembawang
Shipyard,
Malaysian Shipbuilding and Engineering Yard, Pasir Gudang and Changi Sailing
Club, approximate position Lat. 01° 23.6’N Long. 103° 58.7’E (WGS 84) shall not
exceed 6 knots. This is to prevent the passing vessel from creating high bow waves
that could cause vessel or pleasure craft to part their moorings.
RESTRICTION IN THE TRAFFIC INFORMATION AREA
11 No vessel shall proceed south of the line joining CAAS Buoy 1 Lat. 01° 23.55’N
Long. 103° 59.94’N (WGS 84) and CAAS Buoy 2 Lat. 01° 23.68’N Long. 103° 59.60’E
(WGS 84).
12 No vessel is permitted to stop or anchor within the TIA. If a vessel has to stop
or anchor in an emergency situation, the vessel shall report to Sembawang Control
without delay.
REPORTING PROCEDURE
FORMAT OF REPORT
13 Every vessel shall make the following report to and obtain clearance from
Sembawang Control before entering or manoeuvring within or leaving the East Johor
Strait. The report shall contain the following information:
(a) name of vessel;
(b) callsign;
(c) present location;
(d) destination, i.e. the location in the port or bound for sea;
(e) draft;
(f) height;
(g) remarks, if any, i.e. any other relevant information on the vessel
which would affect its navigation; and
(h) the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) at the following locations:
• the line joining West Tekong Buoy Lat. 01° 25.17’N Long.
104° 00.43’E (WGS 84) and the point northeast of Pulau Ubin
Lat. 01° 25.00’N Long. 103° 59.47’E (WGS 84) or the Longitude
103° 59.53’E (WGS 84) which extends northwards off the
eastern end of Pulau Ubin.
• Angler buoy Lat. 01° 21.10’N Long. 104° 03.01’E (WGS84)
• Point 1 Lat. 1° 22.42’N Long. 104° 01.93’E (WGS 84);
• Point 2 Lat. 01° 23.08’N Long. 104°01.02’E (WGS 84);
• Paku Buoy Lat. 01° 23.54’N Long. 104° 00.14’E (WGS 84) is
abeam;
• Malang Papan Beacon Lat. 01° 24.10’N Long. 103° 59.34’E
(WGS 84) is abeam; and
• Seletar Buoy Lat. 01° 26.53’N Long. 103° 52.60’E (WGS 84) is
abeam;
Note: The various ETAs, referred to in paragraph 13 (h), are used for the co-
ordination of aircraft traffic. It is important that such ETAs are accurate. The locations
of the reporting points are given in Chartlet 2.
14 In addition to the above, every vessel shall also report to Sembawang Control
when passing the reporting points referred to in para 13(h).
UPDATING AND CONFIRMATION OF ETA
15 The vessel shall update and confirm the declared ETAs referred to in paragraph
13(h) to Sembawang Control when passing the following locations:
(a) for Northbound or Westbound vessel, when Kees Beacon Lat. 01°
20.09’N Long. 104° 05.01’E (WGS 84) is abeam;
(b) for Eastbound vessel, when Punggol Buoy Lat. 01° 25.33’N Long. 103°
54.69’E (WGS 84) and again when Squance buoy Lat. 01° 23.66’N
Long. 103° 57.68’E (WGS 84) are abeam;
(c) for Eastbound vessel entering the TIA via Nenas Channel, when West
Tekong Buoy Lat. 01° 25.17’N Long. 104° 00.43’E (WGS 84) is abeam;
and
(d) for Southbound vessel from Sungai Johor Lat. 01° 27.00’N Long. 104°
01.10’E (WGS 84) when the vessel is underway.
CHANGES TO ETA
16 The vessel shall monitor the declared ETAs referred to in paragraph 13 (h) and
immediately report to Sembawang Control if:
(a) the declared ETA for Angler Buoy, Point 1 Lat. 1° 22.42’N Long.
104°01.93’E, Point 2 Lat. 1° 23.08’N Long. 104° 01.02’E, Paku Buoy,
Malang Papan Beacon, West Tekong Buoy or northeast of Pulau Ubin
differs by 2 minutes from the last declared ETA; and
(b) the declared ETA for Seletar Buoy differs by 15 minutes from the last
declared ETA.
REMINDER
17 The VHF reporting procedure stated in this circular applies only to vessels
stated in paragraph 4 manoeuvring within the TIA in the EJS.
18 The shipping community is reminded that every vessel of 300 GT or more or
tug when engaged in towing or pushing if the combined GT of the tug and tow or
vessel(s) being pushed is 300 GT or more or any passenger vessel, manoeuvring in
port is required to report to the designated control centre as stipulated in the relevant
Port Marine Circular.
CLARIFICATION
19 For clarification, please contact the duty watch manager of Sembawang Control
at Tel: 6481 5848 (email scc@mpa.gov.sg).
CAPTAIN CHONG JIA CHYUAN
PORT MASTER
MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE
APPENDIX 1
The East Johor Strait (EJS) is the stretch of water contained within the following
geographical co-ordinates (WGS 84) up to the Causeway in the Johor Strait (the numbers
in brackets providing positional references).
Latitude Longitude
From Point (1) 01° 17.788’N 104° 07.150’E
(2) 01° 17.449’N 104° 05.206’E
(3) 01° 18.783’N 104° 04.258’E
(4) 01° 19.997’N 104° 03.060’E
(5) 01° 19.997’N 104° 02.693’E
(6) 01° 20.313'N 104° 01.514'E
thence along the coastline, along the causeway and then, along the Singapore port limit
(Please see Chartlet 1)
APPENDIX 2
The Traffic Information Area (TIA) is bounded by the following geographical co-
ordinates (WGS 84). (The numbers in brackets provide positional references).
Latitude Longitude
From Point (1) 01° 25.33’N 103° 54.69’E (Punggol Buoy)
(2) 01° 24.22’N 103° 55.85’E
(3) 01° 22.98’N 103° 57.92’E (Loyang Beacon)
(4) 01° 23.52’N 103° 58.34’E (Fairy Beacon)
(5) 01° 23.71’N 103° 59.43’E (Changi Buoy)
(6) 01° 23.54’N 104° 00.14’E (Paku Buoy)
(7) 01° 21.10’N 104° 03.01’E (Angler Buoy)
(8) 01° 21.29’N 104° 03.59’E
(9) 01° 23.04’N 104° 01.42’E (Malang Tiga)
(10) 01° 23.35’N 104° 01.06’E
(11) 01° 25.17’N 104° 00.43’E (West Tekong Buoy)
(12) 01° 25.01’N 103° 59.50’E
(13) 01° 24.50’N 103° 59.50’E (Chek Jawa Rear Beacon)
(14) 01° 23.90’N 103° 57.87’E
(15) 01° 23.90’N 103° 57.27’E
(16) 01° 24.60’N 103° 56.35’E
(17) 01° 25.34’N 103° 55.57’E (Tajam Beacon)
thence to the point of origin. (Please see Chartlet 2)