PORT MARINE CIRCULAR NO. 11 OF 2014 PORT HEALTH CLEARANCE PROCEDURES FOR VESSELS ARRIVING SINGAPORE

MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE

PORT MARINE CIRCULAR

No. 11 of 2014

25 Sep 2014

Shipping Community

PORT HEALTH CLEARANCE PROCEDURES FOR VESSELS ARRIVING SINGAPORE

1 This circular supersedes Port Marine Circular No. 7 of 2000.

2 The updated procedures for Port Health Clearance as advised by the Port Health

Office are reproduced below.

INWARD HEALTH CLEARANCE

Vessels liable for quarantine

3 The following categories of vessels will not be granted free/radio pratique and they

must anchor on arrival at the Quarantine Anchorage for inspection by the Port Health

officers:

(a) vessels which have been in any plague-infected area within 60 days prior to

arrival in Singapore;

(b) vessels which report the occurrence of illness on board with the following

signs and symptoms:

(1) temperature of 38° C or greater which was accompanied or followed

by any one or more of the following – rash, jaundice, glandular

swelling, or which persisted for more than 48 hours; and

(2) diarrhoea, severe enough to interfere with work or normal activity.

(c) vessels with death on board;

(d) vessels with high mortality among rodents; and

(e) vessels with refugees on board.

4 The Master, owner or agent of a vessel under any of the categories mentioned in

paragraph 3 shall:

(a) notify Port Health Office not less than 4 hours and not more than 12 hours

before arrival;

(b) display the appropriate day and night signal when the vessel enters the

Singapore Port Limit;

(c) anchor at the Quarantine Anchorage and wait until port health clearance is

obtained from the Port Health Office; and

(d) ensure that no person, other than a pilot, immigration officer or customs

officer, boards or leaves the vessel without the permission of the port health

officer.

Vessels exempted from Port Health Clearance

5 The following categories of vessels are exempted from port health clearance:

(a) passenger vessels with no sickness or death (other than deaths from

accidents) on board;

(b) vessels arriving from a non-infected port with no sickness or death on board;

(c) naval and war ships; and

(d) vessels going out of port limits for sea trials.

Deratting Certificate/Deratting Exemption Certificate and Vessels from Plague-Infected

Ports

6 All vessels arriving Singapore are required to be in possession of a valid Deratting

Certificate/Deratting Exemption Certificate. Additionally, all vessels arriving from plague-

infected ports must be inspected and fumigated if found to be infested with rodents.

7 The port health officer reserves the right to examine any vessel, the right to require

the production or submission of any document and the right to require any ship to proceed

to the Quarantine anchorage for Inward Health Clearance and/or compliance with health

requirements.

8 The Master, owner, or agent is responsible for complying with any health

requirement and/or correction of any health irregularity immediately after arrival.

9 Masters, owners and agents are to take note that the granting of port health

clearance or radio/free pratique merely clears the vessel as far as Port Health Office is

concerned and does not exempt the vessel from the requirements of other Authorities.

OUTWARD HEALTH CLEARANCE

10 Outward health clearance is not required for any vessel.

11 For further information on Port Health matters, Masters, owners and agents may

contact the Port Health Office through VHF Channel 14 or at:

Port Health Office

Central Regional Office

National Environment Agency

4545 Jalan Bukit Merah

Singapore 159466

Tel: 62222585/62226924

Fax: 62226924

CAPT DAKNASH GANASEN

PORT MASTER

MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE