Singapore’s Security Priorities in the Malacca Straits

Joshua Ho

Senior Fellow23 June 09

Introduction Maritime Security ConclusionMaritime Safety

S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies

Marine Environmental Protection

Singapore’s Maritime Interests

Introduction Maritime Security Conclusion

• Malacca Straits is the main corridor between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea

• 70,000 vessel ply through the Straits annually– Energy and raw material flows from west to east– Finished goods flows from east to west

• Singapore is a central node– World’s top container port– World’s top bunkering port– World’s third largest oil refining centre

• Singapore adopts a comprehensive approach and develops an integrated response to maritime security

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Marine Environmental Protection

Singapore’s Maritime Interest

Introduction Maritime Security Conclusion

The minimisation of disruption to shipping and port activities and ensuring secure access to sea lanes through aggressive policy

prescription in the areas of maritime safety, security environmental protection and international law

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Maritime Safety

Introduction Maritime Security Conclusion

• Providing adequate aids to navigation– Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS)– Mandatory Ship Reporting System (STRAITREP)– Vessel Traffic Information System(VTIS)– Electronic Navigation Charts (ENC)– Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS)– Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS)– Automatic Identification System (AIS)

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Maritime Safety

Introduction Maritime Security Conclusion

• Providing Search and Rescue (SAR) services– Singapore Pan for Search and Rescue (SAR) Services– Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) coordinates SAR

effort by utilising SAF and PCG assets– Bilateral SAR Agreement with Indonesia– SAREX Indopura with Indonesia– Ratified the 1979 SAR Convention

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Maritime Security

Introduction Maritime Security Conclusion

• Protection of Critical Maritime Infrastructure– Provided by the PCG and RSN to address both state and non-state threats– Continuous and extensive daily patrols– Army conducts patrols on Jurong Island– Accompanying Sea Security Teams (ASSeT) board selected ships– Selective escorts of merchant vessels– Designated ferry routes– Harbour Craft Transponder System (HARTS) for small harbour and

pleasure craft– Scanning machines to detect illicit material in containers– Comply with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS)– Participate in the Container Security Initiative (CSI)

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Marine Environmental Protection

Maritime Security

Introduction Maritime Security Conclusion

• Defending Secure Access to Sea Lanes– Extensive seabed surveillance for quick detection of mine-like

objects– Bilateral mine clearance exercises and coordinated patrols with

both the Royal Malaysian Navy and Indonesian Navy– The RSN and RSAF can protect and ensure access to sea lanes up

to a far distance from Singapore– Defends the transit passage regime under UNCLOS– Opposes any coastal state action to impose regimes which hamper

the right of transit passage– Opposes Australia’s pilotage system in the Torres Strait

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Maritime Security

Introduction Maritime Security Conclusion

• Delimiting Maritime Boundaries– Need for clear legal jurisdiction in maritime areas to prevent

exploitation of legal grey zones by malevolent individuals and groups

– Singapore has sought to delimit its maritime boundaries with its neighbours through bilateral and trilateral negotiation

– When negotiation fails, third party dispute settlement is adopted– Example of referral of ownership of Pedra Branca to International

Court of Justice (ICJ)

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Marine Environmental Protection

Marine Environmental Protection

Introduction Maritime Security Conclusion

• Port of Singapore and its surrounding waters are extremely vulnerable to oil pollution

• Singapore adopts a comprehensive approach– Prevention– Implementation of strict regulations– Enacting emergency plans for quick and effective clean-up

operations

• Mechanism to ensure adequate compensation for pollution clean-up costs are recoverable

• Measures classified into legislative and contingency plans

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Marine Environmental Protection

Introduction Maritime Security Conclusion

• Implementation of legislative measures– Prevention of Pollution of Sea Act, 1971 provides for stiff

penalties for a person found guilty of polluting Singapore’s waters– Singapore has acceded to major anti-pollution conventions

• MARPOL 73/78• OPRC 1990• OPRC-HNS 2000• CLC 92• Fund 92• 1976 LLMC

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Marine Environmental Protection

Marine Environmental Protection

Introduction Maritime Security Conclusion

• Developing Contingency Plans– Establishment of East Asia Response Private Limited (EARL)

• Global alliance with Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL)• Maintains and stores a wide range of oil spill response equipment

– Oil spill response programme undertaken by the Petroleum Association of Japan (PAJ) in 1993

• Stockpiling and lending oil spill response equipment free of charge to government agencies or parties upon their request

– Setting up of Singapore Oil Spill Response Centre (SOSRC) by SembCorp Logistics Limited in 1994

• Able to deal with almost any type of marine accident or emergency• Many companies have signed contracts with SOSRC to ensure a rapid response• Maintains it own stockpile of oil pollution response equipment and maintains

equipment for PAJ• Singapore is well prepared to tackle pollution in and around its waters

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Towards a Stable Maritime Regime

Introduction Maritime Security Conclusion

• Asia-Pacific Century poised to begin• Trade and energy flows into and within the region will increase• Increasing reliance on the sea as a mode of transport as a result• Surge in the use of the sea means that safeguarding sea lanes will be

an increasingly important task• Creation of a stable maritime regime amongst regional countries

through cooperative efforts needs to be high on the regional political agenda

• Three broad principles of cooperation endorsed by regional leaders– Littoral states have the primary role– Other stakeholders have important roles to play– Consultation should be pursued and the rule of international law

observed

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Thank You

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