PORT MARINE CIRCULAR NO. 04 OF 2010 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE CONTROL OF HARMFUL ANTI-FOULING SYSTEMS ON SHIPS (AFS CONVENTION)
MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE
PORT MARINE CIRCULAR
NO. 4 OF 2010
26 February 2010
Shipping Community
Harbour Craft Community
Pleasure Craft Community
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE CONTROL OF HARMFUL ANTI-
FOULING SYSTEMS ON SHIPS (AFS CONVENTION)
The International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling
Systems on Ships (AFS Convention) will enter into force in Singapore with effect
from 31 March 2010.
2 With effect from 31 March 2010, all ships (excluding fixed or floating
platforms, floating storage units (FSUs) and floating production storage and off-
shore loading units (FPSOs)) in the Port of Singapore including all harbour craft
and pleasure craft are prohibited from applying or using harmful anti-fouling
systems e.g. tributly tin (TBT) on their ships or craft.
3 A ship to which the AFS Convention applies may be inspected by Port
State Control (PSC) officers for the purpose of determining whether the vessel is
in compliance with the AFS Convention.
(A) Ships flagged with an AFS Convention State
• Such ships of 400 GT and above are required to carry onboard an
International Anti-Fouling System Certificate. The International Anti-
Fouling System Certificate Record of Anti-Fouling Systems shall be drawn
up in the form corresponding to the model set out in the AFS Convention.
• Such ships of less than 400 GT but 24 metres or more in length are
required to carry a Declaration on Anti-fouling System, signed by the
owner or its authorized agent. The Declaration on Anti-fouling System
shall be drawn up in the form corresponding to the model set out in the
AFS Convention and accompanied by appropriate documentation (such
as a paint receipt or contractor’s invoice) or contain appropriate
endorsement.
• Such ships or craft of less than 400 GT and below 24 metres in length will
be subject to PSC inspections carried out on in accordance with IMO’s
Guidelines for Inspection of Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships set out in
MEPC 49/22/Add.1 Annex 10. Owners should note that PSC officers may
take appropriate documentation, such as paint receipts, into account in
evaluating whether the ship complies with the AFS Convention.
(B) Ships not flagged with an AFS Convention State
• To ensure compliance with the requirements of the AFS Convention, such
ships will be subject to PSC inspections carried out on in accordance with
IMO’s Guidelines for Inspection of Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships set out
in MEPC 49/22/Add.1 Annex 10. Owners should note that PSC officers
may take appropriate documentation, such as paint receipts, into account
in evaluating whether the ship complies with the AFS Convention.
(C) Ships not falling within para (A) or (B), but operating under any licence or
permit granted by the MPA under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
(Harbour Craft) Regulations or Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
(Pleasure Craft) Regulations
• Such ships or craft of 400 GT and above, or, if less than 400 GT, 24
metres or more in length, are required to carry a Singapore AFS
Declaration, signed by the owner or its authorized agent. A sample copy of
the Singapore AFS Declaration is set out in Appendix 1.
• Such ships or craft of less than 400 GT and below 24 metres in length
should note that (i) their ships will be subject to PSC inspections in the
event that they leave port waters and enter the port waters of an AFS
Convention State (ii) such PSC officers may take appropriate
documentation, such as paint receipts, into account in evaluating whether
the ship complies with the AFS Convention.
4 For more information on the AFS Convention in relation to Singapore
registered ships, please refer to Shipping Circulars No. 23 of 2008 and No. 29 of
2009.
5 Any queries relating to this circular should be directed to Ms Puvaneswari
at DID: 6325 2589.
LEE CHENG WEE
PORT MASTER
MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE
Appendix 1
FORM OF DECLARATION ON ANTI-FOULING SYSTEM
SINGAPORE DECLARATION ON ANTI-FOULING SYSTEM
Drawn up under the
Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems) Regulations 2010
Name of ship ……………………………………………………………………………….
Licence number (if applicable)…..…………………………………………………………
Distinctive number or letters ……………………………………………………………….
Port of registry (if applicable) ……………………………………………………………...
Length ……………………………………………………………………………………...
Gross tonnage ………………………………………………………………………………
IMO number (if applicable) ………………………………………………………………..
I declare that the anti-fouling system used on this ship complies with Annex 1 to the
Convention.
………………. ……………………………………………………………
(Date) (Signature of owner or owner’s authorised agent)
Endorsement of anti-fouling system(s) applied
Type(s) of anti-fouling system(s) used and date(s) of application ………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………...
………………. …………………………………………………………...
(Date) (Signature of owner or owner’s authorised agent)
Type(s) of anti-fouling system(s) used and date(s) of application ………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………...
………………. …………………………………………………………...
(Date) (Signature of owner or owner’s authorised agent)
Type(s) of anti-fouling system(s) used and date(s) of application ………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………...
………………. …………………………………………………………...
(Date) (Signature of owner or owner’s authorised agent)