Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Complimentary Garbage Collection at Anchorages
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) runs a garbage reception service for ships at anchor in the port of Singapore. MPA provides complimentary daily garbage collection to all vessels at designated anchorages (MPA, n.d.). The service covers garbage as defined in Annex V of MARPOL 73/78, meaning all domestic and operational wastes generated during normal ship operations, excluding fresh fish and parts thereof (MPA, n.d.). Waste that MPA does not accept goes to commercial vendors licensed by Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) (MPA, n.d.; NEA, n.d.).
Approach
Free, routine collection. MPA collects garbage daily at designated anchorages at no charge to the ship (MPA, n.d.). Ships request the service as set out in Port Marine Circular No. 5 of 2016 (MPA, n.d.).
Zoned garbage craft. Garbage craft are assigned to zones covering the Changi, Eastern, Western and Tuas anchorages, with set collection windows (MPA, n.d.).
Quarantine clearance first. At the Western Quarantine and Immigration Anchorage, collection is listed as subject to Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) clearance (MPA, n.d.).
Paid service for extra volumes. Ships with garbage above the daily limit can book a special collection through the digitalPORT@SG system. MPA charges $900 per bin or part thereof per trip, $450 for a cancellation less than two hours ahead, and $300 per hour for detention (MPA, n.d.).
Licensed vendors for other waste. Bulky items such as wooden pallets, drums of chemicals, oil sludge and used cooking oil, and industrial waste are not collected under the service. Ships arrange these with NEA-licensed vendors (MPA, n.d.). NEA licenses general waste collectors, who must comply with the Environmental Public Health Act 1987 (NEA, n.d.b).
Results
MPA publishes the service scope, zones, collection windows and fees, so ships know in advance what can be delivered, where and at what cost (MPA, n.d.). Collection at the quarantine anchorage is tied to CIQ clearance (MPA, n.d.). Tonnages collected are not reported on the service page.
Transferability
DMC port authorities can offer routine Annex V garbage collection at no direct charge, so crews have no cost reason to discharge garbage at sea. They can publish scope, zones and fees in a circular, route special requests through a port community system, and link collection at quarantine anchorages to quarantine clearance. Waste streams outside the port service can be directed to collectors licensed by the national environment agency.
Sources
All information used for this case study was based on publicly available resources.