| INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION |
IMO
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MSC 69/5/9
13 March 1998
Original:ENGLISH
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MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE
69th session
Agenda item 5
SAFETY OF NAVIGATION
Safety. of navigation in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore
Submitted by SIGTTO and INTERTANKO
SUMMARY
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| Executive
Summary: |
This paper reports on a meeting, held with SIGTTO and INTERTANKO members, to discuss the safety of navigation in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. The meeting was attended by Masters of LNG and LPG vessels that regularly trade through these Straits, and was convened due to the Increasing number of near miss incidents occurring in the region.
Whilst the proposals for amended traffic separation schemes in the region put forward for approval at MSC 69 were welcomed and considered will greatly Improve safety in the area it was felt that additional measures will further enhance safety. These measures fell Into two categories, firstly, recommendations that SIGTTO and INTERTANKO members will voluntarily instigate themselves and secondly Improvements that could be made to the proposed new and amended traffic separation schemes, rules and mandatory reporting system for vessels navigating through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. |
| Action to be Taken: |
The SIGTTO and INTERTANKO members will seek to instigate the voluntary practices laid out below and the Navigation Sub-Committee are invited to consider the recommendations on improving the proposed amendments and changes in future considerations regarding the Safety of Navigation in the area. |
| Related documents: |
MSC 69/5, NAV 43/15. |
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Introduction.
1 To date the carriage of gas and oil by sea has had an enviable record. Of Increasing concerm to the membership of SIGTTO and INTERTANKO has been the number of near misses that have occurred in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. Also, after conducting research, it was discovered that there has been in the region of thihy incidents involving either gas carriers or tankers reported in the press during the three year period November 1994 to November 1997. With the rapidly increasing number of gas ships, especially large LNG ships, transiting the Straits of Malacca and Singapore SIGTTO decided to convene a meeting of serving masters and shore-based marine personnel, experienced in transits of the area, to discuss the safety of navigation in the Straits ot Malacca and Singapore.
For reasons of economy, this document is printed
in a limited number. Delegates are kindly asked to
bring their copies to meetings and not to request
additional copies.
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2 Prior to the meeting there was a vague consensus that that problems experienced by gas vessels in area were specific to the type of vessel. At the meeting it became rapidly apparent that most of the problems experienced by gas ships would also be experienced by all other types of ship. We therefore submit this paper for consideration by the Committee both with regard to the actions being taken by SIGTTO and INTERTANKO and, proposals for further amendments to those proposed under MSC 69/5. We feel that when the actions proposed in MSC 69/5 are adopted the risk of transiting the Straits will be reduced, a further reduction will be gained by implementing the recommendations given at annex.
Action requested of the Committee
3 The Committee is invited to take note of the actions being undertaken by the SIGTTO and INTERTANKO Membership to enhance the safety of navigation in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. The Committee is further invited to consider the proposals for addition to the proposed changes in MSC 69/5 when further consideration is given to adopting the amendments to traffic separation schemes, rules for navigation and the new mandatory reporting system for vessels navigating through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.
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I:/MSC/69/5-9.WPD
