Allow Internationally-Flagged Vessels with Singapore Registered Pleasure Craft (SZ / SZH licenses) to continue to Sign-On crew as per other International Flag vessels.

Dear Sirs

Open letter to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) & Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

We are a group of pleasure craft owners, marina operators and agents, who are recently severely affected by your sudden  and immediate enforcement of the rule of barring foreign crew members from re-joining or signing on their pleasure craft, after their current passes expires.

On 12th October 2022, news of ICA rejecting all sign-on application from these affected vessels went viral among the maritime community. More and more news of affected vessels crew members’ sign-on application was suddenly being rejected by ICA. This has resulted many unsuspecting crew members leaving Singapore and being stuck in neighbouring countries (Malaysia and Indonesia) unable to return to the port of Singapore to join their vessels for work. 
In the letters by ICA, it states that all boats with harbour craft licence must employ foreigners with valid work passes and therefore the justification for enforcement of this regulation.

We are shocked that a long-standing practice whereby internationally flagged pleasure craft going-in and going-out of Singapore’s waters are allowed to sign-on competent crew members of all nationality to work on these boats, with a stroke of a pen, with no notice whatsoever, decimating the boat cruising business overnight  

If indeed there is such a regulation and whilst ICA and MPA, have every right of enforcement, it must be noted that both agencies had not enforced this for the longest of time, if there is a decision to do this enforcement, at least give the community 12 months minimum notice to adapt to this change.

Your draconian action has led to:

1.       Many foreign crew suddenly being left without jobs and livelihoods, this is inhumane.

2.       Suddenly, pleasure craft cannot be manned and operated and if operating with less than the required crew, safe operation of these pleasure craft is now a serious issue, accidents waiting to happen.

3.       Many of these pleasure craft (SZH registered) are booked for cruises for the rest of the year, by MNCs and MICE Events being held in Singapore. Now these bookings have to be cancelled and Singapore’s reputation as a country that wants to be the best liveable city in the world, where a vibrant boating environment must be part of this equation, will be tarnished.

We ask to meet with the officers in charge from ICA and MPA to discuss this, on a very urgent basis. We reiterate that a minimum notice period of at least 12 months for the pleasure craft community, if indeed there is such a regulation, for us to adapt and adjust.

In the meantime, we would be very grateful if ICA immediately resume approvals for International Flag Vessels with Singapore Registered Pleasure Craft licenses to continue to Sign-On their crew.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

All Undersigned