Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Harbour Craft) Regulations

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

For the purposes of these Regulations —

A person desirous of having a harbour craft licensed may apply to the Port Master for a licence.

A harbour craft may be licensed in the name of one or more individuals or in the name of a body corporate.

An applicant must —

The Port Master may require a harbour craft for which a licence is required, or in respect of which a licence is to be renewed, to be brought to a place for inspection at a date and time appointed by the Port Master.

The Port Master may inspect the harbour craft, and may —

The Port Master may at any time vary or revoke any existing condition of a licence and impose additional conditions thereto.

No licence shall be granted in respect of a harbour craft which is to be used for the carriage of more than 12 passengers unless there are in force the relevant certificates under regulations made under section 100 of the Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 179) in respect of the harbour craft.

No licence shall be granted in respect of any harbour craft unless there is in force in relation to the harbour craft a policy of insurance which insures the owner or master or any other person using the harbour craft for —

No licence shall be granted in respect of a tanker unless —

The Authority may, in its discretion, exempt the owner or charterer of a tanker from complying with any of the provisions of paragraph (9) either absolutely or subject to such conditions as it thinks fit.

The fees for —

The fees for —

(cb)transfer of licence number; and

Subject to this regulation and regulation 33 —

The Port Master may order that a licence be in force for a shorter period of not less than 6 months.

If the Port Master makes an order referred to in paragraph (4), the fee charged for licensing shall be proportionate to the fee chargeable under paragraph (1).

Notwithstanding paragraph (3) but subject to regulation 33, a licence for a harbour craft referred to in paragraph (3)(a) that is no longer a Singapore ship by virtue of the closure or deemed closure of its registry under Part II of the Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 179), shall be valid up to the end of the period for which port dues under paragraph 4 of Part I of the Schedule to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Scale of Dues, Rates and General Fees) Notification (N 2) have been paid.

The Port Master shall in granting a licence deliver to the owner of every licensed harbour craft a licence containing such particulars as he considers necessary for the purposes of these Regulations.

The Port Master shall keep a register of licences which shall contain such information as he considers necessary for the purposes of these Regulations.

On a change of ownership of a harbour craft, the previous owner and the new owner shall, within 7 days of the purchase by the new owner of the harbour craft, submit to the Port Master any licence granted to the previous owner in respect of the harbour craft and any documentary or other evidence of the change of ownership of the harbour craft.

Where the Port Master is satisfied that ownership of the harbour craft has been transferred to the new owner, the licence granted to the previous owner shall be transferred to the new owner and is valid for the remainder of the period for which it was granted.

Upon the death of the owner of a licensed harbour craft, the licence granted in respect thereof shall be surrendered to the Port Master who may then transfer the licence to —

The transfer under paragraph (3) may be cancelled by the Port Master if during the currency of the said licence any person produces a Probate of the Will or Letters of Administration granted to him to the Estate of the deceased and he applies to have the licence transferred to some person other than the person mentioned in paragraph (3)(a) or (b).

Upon application being made under paragraph (4), the Port Master shall transfer the licence to the person designated in the application.

The owner of a licensed harbour craft shall report to the Port Master any change of the particulars set out in regulation 6(3) within 7 days of the change.

Where a change in particulars reported under this regulation is in respect of the residential address of the owner of a licensed harbour craft, the owner shall be deemed to have complied with paragraph (1) if he has made a report of the change under section 8 of the National Registration Act (Cap. 201) within 28 days thereof.

The Port Master may upon receipt of the report require the harbour craft to be inspected, or require the owner to take such measures as the Port Master thinks necessary, to satisfy himself that the harbour craft is fit to be licensed.

If a licence granted under these Regulations is lost or destroyed or if any particulars have become illegible, the owner of the licensed harbour craft shall forthwith apply to the Port Master for the issue of a replacement licence or for such particulars as have become illegible to be re-entered or endorsed on the licence.

A person shall return to the Port Master any licence granted to him which is expired or is cancelled.

Upon the grant of a licence, the Port Master is to assign a licence number to the harbour craft.

Paragraph (1) shall not apply if a licence number allotted under regulation 15A to the applicant for the licence is used to license the harbour craft.

The licence number of every harbour craft licensed —

The Port Master may, from time to time, by notice or such other means as he may think fit, invite bids for particular licence numbers for any type of harbour craft.

All applications made pursuant to paragraph (1) shall not be less than the minimum bid amount of $2,000.

Every application under paragraph (1) shall be —

No application shall be withdrawn after it has been received by the Port Master.

The Port Master may, in his discretion, reject any application without assigning any reason.

The Port Master shall not be obliged to allot the licence number applied for to the applicant offering the highest bid amount and the Port Master’s determination of successful applications shall be final.

The Port Master shall notify every applicant of the outcome of his application.

Subject to paragraph (9), a successful applicant shall, within a period of 12 months after the date of the notification by the Port Master under paragraph (7), use the licence number allotted to him —

Where a successful applicant fails to comply with the requirements of paragraph (8) within the period specified therein —

Any bid amount paid under paragraph (3)(b) by an unsuccessful applicant shall be refunded to him without interest within a period of 2 weeks after the determination of the successful applications or such other time as the Port Master may decide.

Notwithstanding anything in this regulation, where an application for a licence under regulation 6 is not granted, the Port Master may, in his discretion and subject to such conditions as he thinks fit —

Subject to paragraph (2), a person in whose name a harbour craft is licensed may, in such manner and within such period as the Port Master may require, apply to the Port Master to have the licence number of the harbour craft transferred to another harbour craft —

In an application under paragraph (1), the Port Master may require the applicant to furnish to the Port Master such documents and information as the Port Master may specify relating to —

The Port Master may, in his discretion and subject to such terms and conditions as he may impose, approve the transfer of the licence number to the second-mentioned harbour craft, and in the case of paragraph (1)(b), cancel the licence number to be replaced.

The Port Master shall not approve the transfer of the licence number to the second-mentioned harbour craft unless an application for a licence under regulation 6 in respect of it has been granted.

Where the transfer of the licence number to the second-mentioned harbour craft has been approved, the Port Master may, on the application of the person referred to in paragraph (1), assign a new licence number to the first-mentioned harbour craft.

No application shall be withdrawn after it has been received by the Port Master.

The Port Master may, in his discretion, reject any application without assigning any reason.

The Port Master shall notify every applicant of the outcome of his application.

The owner of a licensed harbour craft shall cause the licence number to be painted in large letters on each bow against a contrasting background and carved on, cut in or centre-punched into the main beam in the manner set out in the First Schedule or as may be directed by the Port Master.

The licence number of a harbour craft shall be kept legible and visible at all times.

The number of passengers which may be carried on board a harbour craft shall be displayed in a conspicuous position on the harbour craft.

No owner or master of a harbour craft shall cause or permit the harbour craft to carry a greater number of passengers than the number allowed by and shown on the licence granted for the use of the harbour craft.

No owner or master of a harbour craft shall cause or permit the harbour craft to carry a greater number of crew than the number allowed by and shown on its licence.

Where passengers are carried on board a harbour craft, no owner or master of the harbour craft shall cause or permit cargo or luggage other than the personal effects of the passengers to be carried on board.

A harbour craft carrying passengers shall not be used for towing, pushing or pulling any other vessel.

The owner, master or person-in-charge of a harbour craft shall cause the harbour craft to be provided with persons duly licensed and issued with an endorsement where applicable under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Harbour Craft Manning Licence Examination) Regulations (Rg 4), and in accordance with the table set out in the Fourth Schedule.

The Port Master may require any person referred to in paragraph (1) to produce his manning licence granted or endorsement issued under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Harbour Craft Manning Licence Examination) Regulations (Rg 4) and the person shall comply with such requisition.

No owner of a harbour craft shall cause or permit the harbour craft to be altered so as not to correspond with the particulars relating to her tonnage or description contained in the register without the prior written permission of the Port Master.

The owner shall, immediately upon an alteration as is referred to in paragraph (1) being made, produce the harbour craft and the licence for inspection by the Port Master.

The Port Master may, on inspection of the harbour craft, revoke the licence granted if he is of the opinion that the harbour craft is not fit for its intended use.

No licensed harbour craft shall be used for a purpose other than that stated on the licence.

No owner or master of a harbour craft shall cause or permit the harbour craft to ply or operate beyond the area specified in the licence without the prior written permission of the Port Master.

No owner or master of a harbour craft shall cause or permit the harbour craft to be so loaded with cargo as to endanger the lives of persons on board.

No owner, master or person-in-charge of a harbour craft shall cause or permit any harbour craft to be so loaded such that its main deck is awash or is liable to be awash.

Any person who, when operating or navigating, or attempting to operate or navigate, a harbour craft within the port, is unfit to operate or navigate the harbour craft (in that he is under the influence of drink, or of a drug or an intoxicating substance, to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the harbour craft) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.

Any owner of a harbour craft who permits a person to operate or navigate a harbour craft while that person is unfit to operate or navigate the harbour craft (in that the person is under the influence of drink, or of a drug or an intoxicating substance, to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the harbour craft) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.

In this regulation —

The owner or master of a harbour craft shall, within 24 hours, report to the Port Master —

The owner, master or person-in-charge of the harbour craft shall, in making the report under paragraph (1), also surrender the licence to the Port Master who may cause the harbour craft to be inspected.

The Port Master may cancel or suspend the licence if a person to whom a licence is granted —

The Port Master may cancel or suspend a licence granted for a harbour craft that was also a Singapore ship at the time the licence was granted if it is no longer a Singapore ship, unless the harbour craft is, in the opinion of the Port Master, fit for use in the port.

The Port Master may cancel or suspend the licence if for any other reason he is satisfied that the licence should be cancelled or suspended.

The Port Master may cancel or suspend the licence if the harbour craft, not being a Singapore ship or a sea-going ship other than a Singapore ship, at any time goes beyond the port limits as declared under the Act.

Any licence cancelled under these Regulations shall be returned to the Port Master immediately.

Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Port Master under paragraph (1), (1A), (2) or (3) may, within 14 days of the cancellation or suspension of the licence, as the case may be, appeal in writing to the Minister whose decision shall be final.

Every licence granted or transferred under these Regulations may be renewed before the date of expiry of the licence.

If a licence is not renewed as provided in paragraph (1), the owner of the harbour craft which use is licensed shall inform the Port Master immediately in writing or in person the reason for not renewing the licence, and also what the owner intends to do with the harbour craft.

The Port Master may, in his discretion, refuse to renew a licence.

Where a licence is not renewed as provided in regulation 36(1) and the Port Master is of the opinion that the harbour craft in respect of which the licence was granted is likely to become an obstruction, impediment or danger to navigation within the port or to the safe and convenient use or operation of the port, the Port Master may direct the owner thereof to remove the harbour craft from the waters of the port and the owner shall comply with such direction.

Where an owner of a harbour craft, in compliance with a direction made under paragraph (1), removes the harbour craft from the waters of the port and keeps, destroys or otherwise disposes of the harbour craft, the owner shall inform the Port Master of the place in which such harbour craft is kept or produce such evidence as the Port Master may reasonably require of the destruction or disposal, as the case may be.

The Authority may permit —

An application for the Authority’s permission under paragraph (1) shall be made in such form or manner as the Authority may require.

The Authority may grant its permission under paragraph (1) in such form or manner as it thinks fit, including the issuing of a permit in paper or electronic form.

The Authority may, in granting its permission under paragraph (1), impose such terms and conditions as it thinks fit.

The Authority may renew any permission granted by it under paragraph (1) subject to such terms and conditions as it thinks fit.

The fees for the grant or renewal by the Authority of any permission under this regulation are specified in the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Scale of Dues, Rates and General Fees) Notification (N 2).