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MPA issues guidelines on medical examination and certification for seafarers

MPA adopts IMO and ILO set medical examination and certification for seafarers as national requirements in order to work onboard Singapore-registered ships.

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The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Monday (30 March) issued a marine circular outlining the criteria in undergoing medical examination for seafarers and obtaining a Seafarer’s medical certificate to work onboard any Singapore-registered vessels:

GUIDELINES ON THE MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF SEAFARERS AND SEAFARER’S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE 

This Shipping Circular supersedes MPA’s Shipping Circular no 13 of 2013. 

International Maritime Organisation (IMO), together with the International Labour Organisation, has developed a set of guidelines on the medical examination and certification of seafarers. The guidelines are published as IMO’s circular STCW.7/Circular 19, attached as Annex A of this circular. MPA has adopted the guidelines as our national requirements for medical examination of seafarers. 

Every seafarer working onboard Singapore Registered Ships shall hold a valid seafarer’s medical certificate. A seafarer’s medical certificate shall follow the requirements of minimum information to be provided in the certificate as set out in the STCW Convention 1978, as amended, and the medical standards set out in the IMO’s circular STCW.7/Circular 19 (Annex A of this circular). These standards should also meet the requirements as prescribed in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006. 

Recognition of Medical Practitioners 

MPA accepts valid seafarer’s medical certificate issued by the following medical practitioners: 

  1. Registered medical practitioners licensed to practice in Singapore and familiar with the guidelines on the medical examination and certification of seafarers. The list of registered medical practitioners in Singapore is given in the website http://www.healthprofessionals.gov.sg; or 
  2. Medical practitioners recognised by an STCW State Party in the “IMO White List”. Please refer to the updated revision of the IMO document MSC.1/Circ.1163/ for the latest “IMO white list, as the list is updated from time to time; or 
  3. A medical practitioner recognised by an MLC State Party and familiar with the guidelines on the medical examination and certification of seafarers; or 
  4. Any other medical practitioners that are accepted by the Director. 

Part 3 of the guidelines on the medical examination and certification of seafarers provides the necessary information needed in a medical assessment and the seafarer’s medical certificate to be issued to seafarers. The sample formats for the “Record of Medical Examinations of Seafarer” and “Seafarer’s Medical Certificate” are provided in Annex B and Annex C of this circular respectively. 

Seafarer’s Medical Certificate 

Recognised medical practitioners are required to use the format as given in Annex C of this circular when issuing seafarer’s medical certificates. They are also required to retain records of medical inspection of seafarers for at least 3 years. 

Seafarer’s medical certificates shall be valid for not more than 2 years or not more than 1 year in the case of a seafarer under the age of 18 years. If a seafarer’s medical certificate expires in the course of a voyage, then the certificate shall remain valid until the next port of call. 

There are three (3) categories of seafarer’s medical certificates which may be issued to the following persons: 

  1. able to perform all duties worldwide within designated department (unlimited); or 
  2. able to perform some but not all routine and emergency duties or to work in limited area (e.g. within 30 miles from a port) (L – limited duration or R – limited job scope); or 
  3. incompatible with the reliable performance of routine and emergency duties safely or effectively (Temporary or Permanent – unfit for sea service). 

A seafarer who has been refused issuance of a seafarer’s medical certificate or has a limitation imposed in his certificate, may appeal to the Director of Marine for a review by another independent medical practitioner. 

Ship managers and masters should ensure that seafarers are only deployed to perform duties for which they are medically fit. For example, only seafarers who are fit for the deck department – (i.e. comply with requirements for eye-sight, colour vision and hearing) should be permitted to perform bridge watch keeping or lookout duties. 

Any queries regarding this circular should be directed to MPA (Email: [email protected]

A full copy of the circular is available for download here.


Photo credit:
Manifold Times
Published: 31 March, 2020

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Winding up

Singapore: Lugalis Shipping Pte Ltd to be wound up voluntarily

Liquidators have been appointed at an extraordinary general meeting held on 31 July for the purpose of winding up company’s affair, according to Government Gazette notice.

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RESIZED Drew Beamer

Several resolutions for Lugalis Shipping Pte Ltd were made during an extraordinary meeting held on 31 July, according to a post in the Government Gazette on Thursday (6 August).

The duly passed resolutions were:

AS SPECIAL RESOLUTIONS

  1. That the Company be wound up voluntarily pursuant to Section 160(1) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 (the “Act”).
  2. That Lau Chin Huat and Yeo Boon Keong, as the Joint and Several Liquidators, be and are hereby authorised to divide among the contributory in cash or in specie the whole or any part of the assets of the company.
  3. That the Joint and Several Liquidators be at the liberty to exercise all or any of the powers conferred on themselves pursuant to the Act.

AS ORDINARY RESOLUTIONS

  1. That Lau Chin Huat and Yeo Boon Keong, of 50 Havelock Road, #02-767, Singapore 160050 be appointed as the Joint and Several Liquidators for the purpose of winding up the company.
  2. That the remuneration and winding up disbursements of the Joint and Several Liquidators be fixed on a time basis at rates as agreed in the engagement letter.
  3. That the Joint and Several Liquidators be authorised to destroy all books and papers of the Company and of the Joint and Several Liquidators 5 years after the date of dissolution of the Company pursuant to Section 195(2) of the Act.

In another notice, the liquidators of Lugalis Shipping said creditors for the company are required on or before the 7 September to send in their names and addresses and particulars of their debts or claims, and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to the liquidators. 

Liquidators may also require creditors to, “come in and prove their debts or claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice, or in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts are proved.”

The liquidators can be contacted at the following address:

Lau Chin Huat
Yeo Boon Keong
Joint and Several Liquidators
c/o
Technic Inter-Asia Pte Ltd
50 Havelock Road, #02-767, Singapore 160050
Tel: 6561 0398 Fax: 6222 1855
Email: [email protected] 

 

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 7 August, 2026

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Biofuel

MESD study finds existing Singapore harbour craft ready for B100 bio bunker fuel adoption

Results demonstrate the qualified readiness of existing large harbour craft in Singapore for B100 adoption, provided that appropriate fuel-handling, storage and additive practices are implemented.

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MESD study finds existing Singapore harbour craft ready for B100 bio bunker fuel adoption

Singapore’s Maritime Energy & Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence (MESD) on Wednesday (5 August) said the findings of its latest study indicate that existing large harbour craft in Singapore are ready for the adoption of B100 biodiesel, provided appropriate fuel handling, storage and additive practices are in place.

The findings were published in MESD’s public report, Study on the Readiness of Existing Large Harbour Craft for B100 Biodiesel in Singapore.

“Overall, the results demonstrate the qualified readiness of existing large harbour craft in Singapore for B100 adoption, provided that appropriate fuel-handling, storage and additive practices are implemented,” MESD said in a social media post. 

“This represents an important step towards supporting the wider adoption of sustainable marine fuels and advancing Singapore’s maritime decarbonisation journey.”

The study evaluated fuel storage stability, engine performance, emissions and operational readiness through controlled laboratory testing and sea trials involving a tugboat and a bunker tanker.

MESD said the findings are highly encouraging, which include:

  • Stable engine performance was maintained throughout the 200-hour sea trials, with no significant power loss, abnormal fuel-consumption trends or critical operational disruptions.
  • Antioxidant additives improved oxidation stability and helped reduce the risk of fuel degradation during storage.
  • B100 achieved brake thermal efficiency comparable to diesel, while producing lower carbon monoxide and particulate matter emissions, with a modest increase in nitrogen oxide emissions.

Led by the MESD, the study was conducted in collaboration with KST Maritime Pte Ltd, V-Bunkers Tankers, Alpha biofuels, Aderco, Maritec Naias and IHI Power Systems Co Ltd.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)​ and the ​Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI)​ also contributed to the study. 

MESD added that further research on long-term engine endurance, fuel stability and material compatibility is ongoing under its FAME 1000 project, with a related public report expected to be released later this year.

Note: The report can be accessed here.

 

Photo credit: Maritime Energy & Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence
Published: 7 August, 2026

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Methanol

COSCO Shipping deploys methanol-ready grain carrier on South America-China routes

“Guo Liang Hai” is equipped with a smart management system, low-carbon design features and a methanol-ready fuel interface, supporting future energy transition pathways.

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COSCO Shipping deploys methanol-ready grain carrier on South America-China routes

COSCO Shipping on Thursday (6 August) said a methanol-ready 80,000 DWT multi-purpose grain carrier, GUO LIANG HAI, has officially been delivered and entered service.

At nearly 230 metres in length, Guo Liang Hai is equipped with a smart management system, low-carbon design features and a methanol-ready fuel interface, supporting future energy transition pathways.

“As the sixth vessel in its series, she is part of the world’s first 80,000 DWT vessel class specifically designed for grain transportation. But grain is only part of the story,” the company said in a social media post. 

The company said the vessel combines the efficiency of a bulk carrier with the flexibility of a multi-purpose ship. 

In addition to commodities such as soybeans, maize and wheat, it can also transport grain and dry bulk cargo, containers, wind power equipment, rolling stock and rail equipment, new energy vehicles and large-scale industrial machinery.

“Already deployed on routes between South America and China, vessels in this series create value in both directions, carrying agricultural imports while supporting exports of Chinese-made equipment and technology,” the company added.

 

Photo credit: COSCO Shipping
Published: 7 August, 2026

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