Vessels Using/Transiting Straits of Singapore and Other Waters under Jurisdiction of Singapore Vessel Traffic Service

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Transport in each of the past 10 years (a) what has been the number of vessels using and/or transiting through the Straits of Singapore and other waters under the jurisdiction of the Singapore Vessel Traffic Service; and (b) what has been the number of reported collisions, sinkings, groundings and contacts with fixed objects involving one or more vessels in the Straits of Singapore and other waters under the jurisdiction of the Singapore Vessel Traffic Service.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The Singapore Strait is a busy waterway with 84,000 vessels transiting through it in 2016. The Singapore port is also a major transhipment hub and receives an average of 380 vessels a day, or close to 139,000 vessels a year.

Despite the heavy traffic, the number of major incidents has dropped over the years, from 13 in 2011, to 1 each in 2015 and 2016. See Table 1.

Table 1 Vessel Traffic and Major Incidents in Singapore Waters