Debated in Parliament on 1 Feb 2021.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Transport (a) what lessons are learned from the COVID-19 cluster of cases arising from the bunker vessel "NewOcean 6"; and (b) whether any new protective measures have since been or will be introduced for (i) visiting commercial vessels to the Port of Singapore (ii) the boarding of such vessels by any personnel who are not part of the vessels’ crew and (iii) MPA’s crew change requirements.
As a global maritime hub, many ships call at Singapore. They ensure that we get our supplies, and sustain a vibrant maritime industry of some 170,000 jobs. On average, more than 200 ships call at Singapore daily and conduct cargo operations and other activities such as refuelling and resupplying. Harbour craft such as bunker tankers and launches provide essential marine services in our port, and are manned by crew who work and live on board the vessels.
The Maritime Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), together with its industry stakeholders, developed a safe way for crew change – through tests, quarantine and 'bubble wrap' movement while in Singapore. In summary, the old crew will disembark, segregated from everyone else, and are then taken to the airport and fly home. The new crew, typically from neighbouring countries, would have to serve a 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN) in their home country and be tested negative for COVID-19, before coming to Singapore. Upon arrival here, they will be tested again, and are segregated or 'bubble wrapped', until their test results are known. Once they test negative for COVID-19, they will board the harbour craft for work. The crew stay on board the vessels and do not come ashore.
It is in this context that the "NewOcean 6" imported case occurred. An Indonesian crew member did his 14-day SHN at a dedicated facility in his home country, was tested negative twice pre-departure, before he came to Singapore on 17 December 2020. He tested negative again upon arrival, and then boarded "NewOcean 6" and started work. But shortly after, he developed symptoms. On 30 December 2020, he tested positive for COVID-19.
Subsequently, 11 of 12 other crew members who worked on board "NewOcean 6" and one Singaporean shore-based cargo officer who had boarded the vessel also tested positive for COVID-19, between 2 and 14 January 2021. By then, all of them were already contact traced and under quarantine. As a result, there were no other community infection cases linked to this cluster.
Our safety measures are effective and have worked well, but they cannot fully eliminate all possible risks. Given the worsening COVID-19 situation globally, including the emergence of more infectious strains of the virus and odd cases with long incubation periods, cases like the "NewOcean 6" crew have slipped through.
MPA has therefore reviewed and enhanced its measures, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission to harbour craft crew and shore-based personnel who board vessels for work.
First, instead of 14-day SHN in their home country, we will require incoming harbour craft crew to serve 5-day SHN in their country of origin and be tested negative for COVID-19, before travelling to Singapore. They will be tested on-arrival, and undergo another 14-day SHN here. The crew member will only be allowed to board a vessel to work, if he tests negative for COVID-19 at the end of his 14-day SHN.
Second, as a precaution, we are testing all crew on board harbour craft in our port waters that have conducted crew change since 17 December 2020. We expect to complete this exercise by mid-February 2021. This is similar to the previous exercise where MPA tested 27,000 shore-based personnel who board ships for work in January 2021, where we detected one individual who tested both PCR and serology-positive, and was assessed to be a recovered patient.
Third, we introduced "contactless bunkering operations" in our port. Bunker tanker crew are no longer required to board ships to service them during refuelling operations.
Fourth, shore-based personnel such as surveyors, cargo officers and marine pilots who need to go on board ships must now undergo rostered routine testing (RRT) every seven days, instead of every 14 days previously.
Fifth, we implemented SafeEntry@Sea for shore-based personnel. They are required to produce a valid negative COVID-19 test result from a RRT programme or an ad-hoc test within 72 hours before going on board ships.
Sixth, agencies are stepping up checks, and firm actions will be taken against companies and individuals for non-compliance. Persons found guilty of an offence will be liable, on first conviction, to a fine not exceeding $10,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or both, under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Port) Regulations.
Finally, we have started vaccinating 17,000 frontline maritime personnel, including all those who need to board ships. This is the most significant step to secure our maritime border. 95% of eligible personnel have registered for vaccinations, and as of yesterday, more than 13,000 maritime personnel have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. We should substantially complete the vaccination exercise by end February 2021.
PAPERCUTS