Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Impact of "Long Island" Project along East Coast Parkway on Maritime Anchorages in Singapore’s Eastern Sector

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Transport in view of the Government’s plans for the "Long Island" off East Coast Park 

a.     whether operations at any of the anchorages under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s Eastern Sector will be affected and, if so, what are the Government’s plans for the relocation of affected anchorages; and 

b.     whether (i) operations of the Traffic Separation Scheme in the Straits of Singapore and (ii) vessel traffic transiting between the Straits of Singapore and Port of Singapore will be affected.

Reply by Acting Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat:

1.     The "Long Island" project will help to protect the East Coast from sea level rise and flooding, enhance our long-term water supply, and cater to long-term land use needs. To facilitate these plans, anchorages in the Eastern Sector of the Port of Singapore will need to be reconfigured. The details will be studied further as part of upcoming technical studies, taking into consideration the sea space required for anchorages and fairways to support maritime operations, both during and after the development of "Long Island".

2.     The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore is also progressively rolling out initiatives to further enhance the efficiency of port calls, reduce idling time, and optimise anchorage space utilisation. These include a Just-in-Time Platform to coordinate vessels’ arrival and departure with the provision of maritime services, Active Anchorage Management System to efficiently allocate anchorage space to vessels, and the simultaneous operation of marine services at terminals during cargo operations.

3.     The "Long Island" project will not impact the Traffic Separation Scheme and navigational safety of vessels transiting between the Singapore Strait and the Port of Singapore.