No. 17 of 2023 - INTRODUCTION OF ONE MARITIME PORTAL FOR SUBMISSION OF SELF-DECLARATION FORM FOR WITHHOLDING TAX EXEMPTION ON INTEREST AND RELATED PAYMENTS UNDER THE MARITIME SECTOR INCENTIVE

MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE

SHIPPING CIRCULAR

NO. 17 of 2023

MPA Shipping Division

460 Alexandra Road

21st Storey mTower

Singapore 119963

Fax: 6375 6231

http://www.mpa.gov.sg

27 December 2023

Applicable to: This circular should be brought to the attention of all Singapore-

flagged ship owners that are assessed under Section 13A of the Singapore Income

Tax Act 1947.

INTRODUCTION OF ONE MARITIME PORTAL FOR SUBMISSION OF SELF-

DECLARATION FORM FOR WITHHOLDING TAX EXEMPTION ON INTEREST

AND RELATED PAYMENTS UNDER THE MARITIME SECTOR INCENTIVE

1. As part of MPA’s commitment to our stakeholders, we are pleased to inform

that the One Maritime Portal (OMP), developed as part of a single platform for MPA’s

incentives and grants, will be launched in late January 2024. The OMP aims to provide

a seamless application experience by facilitating accurate and complete online

submissions of the self-declaration form (SDF) by qualifying companies for withholding

tax (WHT) exemption on interest and related payments under the Maritime Sector

Incentive (MSI). Apart from the submission, revision and tracking of SDFs filed, the

OMP will also allow for eligibility checks to be made. Circulars relating to the SDF

regime will also be posted on the OMP going forward.

Transition of the SDF submission process to OMP

1. Currently, to be eligible for WHT exemption, MSI companies are required to

download and complete an excel version of the SDF (“Excel SDF”) for each financing

arrangement obtained and submit the completed SDF to MPA via email on or before

the 15th of the month following the first relevant payment due date. This process will

remain in place until 15 January 2024. MSI companies that are in the process of

preparing/ have prepared the Excel SDF are encouraged to submit the completed

form(s) to MPA as soon as possible.

Black-out period

1. There will be a ‘black-out’ period between 16 to late January 2024 to

facilitate the transition. MSI companies will not be able to submit any SDFs to MPA

during this period. Excel SDFs received by MPA during the ‘black-out’ period will be

regarded as invalid and companies will be requested to resubmit the SDF via the OMP

once it goes live. The ‘black-out’ period has been scheduled to commence after the

SDF submission deadline of 15 January 2024 to minimise the impact on taxpayers.

OMP go-live date

1. The OMP will go-live in late January 2024. The exact date and further

onboarding details will be provided in a subsequent circular closer to the actual date.

With effect from the OMP go-live date, all SDFs are to be completed and submitted

through OMP.

1. Please refer to a diagrammatic illustration of the key dates for the transition to

OMP below:

[Important Note]

Please note that the Self-Declaration Form submission deadline by the 15th of the

month following the first relevant payment due date remains unchanged. There will

not be any extension of time for the submission of SDF.

CorpPass

1. We encourage all affected shipping enterprises to setup and assign the Users’

digital services in Corppass ahead of OMP go-live date. Please refer to the Corppass

user guides and attached instructions to add OMP as a digital services in Corppass.

Corppass User https://www.corppass.gov.sg/corppass/common/userguides

guides

How to add OMP as https://go.gov.sg/glz9pl

a digital services in

Corppass?

1. Further details will be provided nearer to the go-live date. In the meantime, any

enquiries regarding this circular should be directed to the Incentive Policy Department

at wht@mpa.gov.sg.

Your sincerely,

CHEAH AUN AUN

DIRECTOR OF MARINE

MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE