Marine & Offshore
General
1. How do I know if I am classified as a Marine & Offshore (M&O) company and if the following FAQs apply to me?
This set of FAQs apply to companies in the M&O sector. It covers Shipyards, Resident Contractors and Common Contractors as per the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM)’s Marine Shipyard sector definition, and other companies under Singapore Standard Industrial Classification (SSIC) codes 28112, 28241, 30110, 30120.
2. Which companies are required to comply with the Marine & Offshore COVID-Safe Restart Criteria?
The Marine & Offshore COVID-Safe Restart Criteria will apply to all Shipyards (both sponsoring and non-sponsoring), Resident Contractors as well as Common Contractors, as per the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM’s) definition of the Marine Shipyard Sector and other companies under Singapore Standard Industrial Classification (SSIC) codes 28112, 28241, 30110, 30120.
3. How will checks be done to ensure that companies are complying with COVID-Safe Restart Criteria?
EDB will implement an Audit and Inspection regime to conduct checks and to ensure compliance on site based on relevant safe management measures.
Penalties will be imposed on firms which have contravened the Marine & Offshore COVID-Safe Restart Criteria or MOM’s Safe Management Measures, whichever relevant. In addition, firms will be required to resubmit their rectification plans, where applicable, and implement these measures as part of the follow ups to the enforcement actions taken.
Application to Resume M&O Works
1. For M&O companies that are seeking to resume operations or increase manning levels, how should they go about it?
Companies seeking to resume operations are to submit a General Exemption application via MTI’s GoBusiness portal here. For companies with existing General Exemption and who wishes to increase their manning levels, they are to submit their request via the “Application for Additional Manpower” function. Please download (https://go.gov.sg/declaredeployfwindorm) and complete the safe management measures declaration and foreign worker deployment details to be attached in the application.
Note that Resident Contractors are to work through their Sponsoring Shipyard to seek approval from EDB/ESG to resume operations or increase manning levels.
COVID-Safe Worksite
1. Where can I find resources to help me implement SafeEntry at my worksite?
On the deployment of SafeEntry, companies can refer to the SafeEntry website here for a full step-by-step guide and resources (including posters that can be displayed at scanning stations). FAQs and additional technical support are available here.
SafeEntry with checks specifically for the Construction, Marine & Offshore and Process (CMP) sectors is available to ensure that your entry checks incorporate sector-specific requirements such as the fulfilment of regular swabbing requirements, and use of TraceTogether. To install SafeEntry with checks specifically for the CMP sectors, please refer to this user guide here.
For access code related queries, companies can contact MOM here.
2. Who is responsible to enforce and ensure that all personnel in the Shipyard complies with COVID-Safe Worksite requirements?
The Shipyard operator is responsible for ensuring that all personnel (e.g. employees, contractors, clients, etc.) working on-site adhere to COVID-Safe Worksite requirements, and should work with its contractors to do so. Similarly, contractors will be responsible for their production sites outside of the Shipyards.
3. Can a Workplace Safety & Health Officer (WSHO) also be a Safe Management Officer (SMO)?
Yes, a WSHO can also be a SMO.
4. What training must a SMO and SDO complete?
SMO & SDO must attend a training (in-house or external) conducted by a competent person.
5. My worksite does not allow workers to hold on to mobile phones while at the work area due to safety/security reasons. Can I use other methods to replace TraceTogether?
All personnel at the worksite are required to actively use TraceTogether by downloading the TraceTogether app, or carrying TraceTogether or BluePass tokens with them at all times. Personnel using the TraceTogether mobile app must activate, and maintain the latest version of the app to facilitate contact tracking. The TraceTogether app must be turned on (i.e. Bluetooth is switched on) and they must carry their handphone with them at all times within the worksite.
6. Can a team be divided into sub-teams at the worksite?
Yes. Each sub-team will be treated as separate teams. Each sub-team will have to be segregated both at the place of accommodation as well as at the worksite from the other sub-teams even if they are doing the same activity. For example, if a worksite has 3 work locations e.g. vessels, each team will have to work within the designated zone and no exchange of workers between the 3 teams will be allowed.
In the case where teams are not split, the Company risks facing a Stop Work Order (SWO), in the event a COVID positive case is discovered in the worksite.
7. Can a worksite be separated into 2 or more sub-sites?
Yes, a physical barrier or clear demarcation is to be implemented for each sub-site. The workers must also be housed in segregated accommodations. Within each sub-site, the same segregation requirements for each team working within a designated zone and segregation on the use of communal shared facilities will apply.
In the case where worksite is not separated into sub-sites or work zones, the Company risks facing a Stop Work Order (SWO), in the event a COVID positive case is discovered in the worksite.
8. Are multiple accommodations allowed?
It is possible for workers of a worksite to be housed at one or more accommodations. All on-site accommodations at shipyards are required to be dedicated to the worksite.
COVID-Safe Workforce
1. Who would need to be regularly swab tested?
All Shipyards’, Resident Contractors’ and Common Contractors’ employees are required to undergo regular swab tests (or Rostered Routine Testing) every 14 days, with the exception of non-dormitory workers who work in non-production sites or work from home.
Dormitories include purpose-built dormitories, factory-converted dormitories, construction temporary quarters, temporary occupation licence quarters, temporary living quarters and government decant sites.
To ensure that the risks of COVID-19 transmission at shipyard premises continue to be well mitigated, all personnel (including external parties) who are required to enter the shipyards’ production site, will need to undergo RRT. Companies should ensure that affected employees have undergone RRT by 1 February 2021.
Personnel who are not on a RRT programme will be required to show a negative test result from a COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test or Antigen Rapid Test (ART) within 72 hours prior entry. Similar to RRT, these personnel will be required to undergo regular PCR test during his/her work duration in the shipyard’s production site. After completion of their works at the shipyard’s production site, they will be required to take a PCR test on the 5th to 7th day after exit, and a final PCR test on the 11th day after exit. The COVID-19 PCR test or ART may be done at any of the MOH-approved COVID-19 test providers. The costs of the tests would be at the personnel’s own or their employers’ expense.
2. If my office finance and administrative staff do not go to production site or come into contact with production site workers, do they have to be regularly swab tested? They do not reside in dormitories.
Non-dormitory workers who work in non-production sites or work from home do not need to be regularly swab tested.
3. Are client/owner representatives who frequent the shipyards’ production sites required to undergo RRT?
Yes. Personnel who are required to enter the shipyards’ production sites are required to undergo regular swab testing. Companies should ensure that affected employees have undergone RRT by 1 February 2021.
4. How can companies register for swab testing for eligible employees?
All companies can apply for Swab Registration System (SRS) company account creation via this link. They will receive a follow-up email from swab@edb.gov.sg on SRS onboarding and instructions within 5 days. Companies in the non-Marine Shipyard sectors are to indicate the Shipyard’s company name where their workers will be working at.
All companies are to submit their Manpower Declaration in GoBusiness indicating employee details and their respective work premises. Companies will receive an email informing them of the expected timeline from which they can start submitting their manpower declaration.
For companies in the Marine Shipyard sector, employees working on the shipyards’ production site and shipyard contractors’ external production site e.g. workshop, are to be captured under “Production site” premises while employees working from home or at non-production site e.g. back office, are to be captured under “Other Sites”.
For companies in non-Marine Shipyard sectors, only employees deployed to the shipyard’s production site are to be captured under “Production site” premises. All other employees deployed to other premises e.g. office, other industry sites, are to be captured under “Other Sites”. This is to facilitate registration and access to RRT for employees deployed to shipyard’s production site.
Please ensure that details are valid and kept up to date.
5. I am unable to key in the specific work premises of my employees in the GoBusiness portal. Who should I approach?
Please contact COVID_GoBusiness@mti.gov.sg.
6. What is considered a “Production site” premise?
Production site includes shipyards’ production areas (e.g. dry dock, onboard vessels in shipyards, fabrication workshops), resident and common contractors’ workshops. “Other Sites” include back office, supporting sectors’ (e.g. manufacturing) workshop.
7. What should companies from supporting sectors do after they have completed their jobs and are no longer working at the shipyard’s production site?
Companies are required to update their employees’ work premises to “Other Sites” via the Manpower Declaration in GoBusiness. Companies need not register them for subsequent swab appointments in SRS if they are no longer required to work at shipyard’s production site.
8. Are ship crew required to undergo RRT? They are based onboard the vessel which is berthed/docked at our shipyard for repair works.
An on-arrival PCR test for all crew must be done onboard the ship in the yard or berthed next to shore. No local workers are allowed to board the ship for works until all crew has been tested negative.
9. How do I arrange for on-arrival PCR swab test for vessels arriving at the shipyard?
Ship agent/Shipyard can arrange for on-arrival PCR swab test onboard the vessel, after the vessel has docked in the shipyard or berthed next to shore. Note that these on-arrival swab tests must not be performed at the anchorages.
Only MOH Licensed Healthcare Institute (HCI) can conduct on-arrival offshore PCR swab test onboard vessel only upon obtaining MOH’s approval by following the steps below:
a. Register for offsite swab application with MOH
The appointed HCI can register their offsite swab application with MOH via here. The appointed HCI must ensure that all on-arrival swab tests to be done onboard vessel in the shipyard or berthed next to shore. No on-arrival PCR swab tests can be done at the anchorage unless explicitly approved by MPA.
Please indicate “Yes” under Question 2 “Have HPB and Sector Lead endorsed this application?” in the link stated above for offsite swab application and follow-up with the next step below.
b. Inform MOH Licensing Division and EDB Central COVID Ops Team
Only appointed HCI by Ship agent/Shipyard can write in to the MOH Licensing Division (eLIS@moh.gov.sg) and copy to cco@edb.gov.sg to follow up on the approval process where MOH Licensing Division must approve the appointed HCI before the on-arrival onboard or sign off pre-departure swab test on the vessel crew can be performed.
Email to MOH Licensing Division to include the following information which is not exhaustive:
- I. Email header: Mandatory Precautionary Measure on Arrival Onboard PCR Swab Tests for inbound vessels’ crew calling into shipyards for repairs / Pre-Departure Tests for Sign offs only in shipyards or berthed next to shore
- II. HCI Name;
- III. HCI Swabbers’ name;
- IV. Ship agent/Ship owner/Shipyard name that appoint HCI;
- V. Date and planned time of Swab to be done;
- VI. Location of Swab to be done;
- VII. Application date to MOH eLIS for approval to perform offsite swab / show screenshot of approval to MOH eLIS submitted; and
- VIII. Laboratory Name where collected swabs will be tested.
For urgent on-arrival onboard swabs (defined as swabs to be done over the next 10 calendar days), appointed HCI by Ship agent/Shipyard has to write in to the MOH Licensing Division (eLIS@moh.gov.sg) and copy to cco@edb.gov.sg to expedite the approval to conduct offsite swab testing. Only appointed HCI may email or call MOH Licensing Division for urgent confirmation. Urgent applications will be approved only on a case by case basis with justifications.
10. What is the objective of the Updated Mandatory Precautionary Measures (MPM)?
Due to rising infection rates and more ships expected to call at Singapore shipyards for repairs, the single On-Arrival Test (OAT) for arriving Not To Land (NTL) crew is insufficient to protect public health of our local yard workers. MOH developed the enhanced testing regime that targets the arriving NTL crew at shipyards. It takes a risk-calibrated approach to NTL crew of all non-passenger ships arriving at the shipyards for works, by aligning with the treatment of SafeTravel Pass RGL (SGL) travellers, i.e. OAT swab and serology, and D3, D7, D14 swabs.
Agencies have updated the MPM for Shipyard Repair Calls in Singapore to include an Enhanced Testing Regime, with the objective of ensuring the safety of our yard workers and the business continuity of our shipyards while Singapore continues to allow repair calls in our shipyards.
11. If the vessel is unable to meet the criteria in the mandatory precautionary measures for shipyard repair calls in Singapore, can the shipyard still accept the repair job?
Shipyards are to write to their respective account managers from the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) or Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and copy to EDB Central COVID Ops (CCO) team at cco@edb.gov.sg, with their specific queries at least 7 calendar days in advance. The case will be assessed accordingly, and an approval may be given on a case-by-case basis.
12. If the vessel crew have not met the Pre-Departure Test Criteria, can the shipyard still accept the repair job?
Shipyards are to write to their respective account managers from the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) or Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and copy to EDB Central COVID Ops (CCO) team at cco@edb.gov.sg, with their specific queries at least 7 calendar days in advance. The case will be assessed accordingly, and an approval may be given on a case-by-case basis.
Shipyards must inform their vessels to plan their voyage for her crew to take Pre-Departure PCR Swab Test at the last port of call or prior to entering Port of Singapore. Shipyards must sight all the vessel crew’s Pre-Departure Negative PCR Swab Test results and keep all results as records. Shipyards can then issue the Letter of Acceptance to the vessel.
This set of measures have been carefully calibrated to provide lines of defence against C+ cases from vessel crew spilling over to the shipyard and the broader community. It is with the interest of preserving business continuity that the shipyards must implement these mandatory measures. Where there are C+ cases detected and worksite transmission is not contained at the shipyard, the whole shipyard could stop work for a period of time to prevent further transmission, which will be even more disruptive and costlier to the yard and ship owners in managing the incident as compared to implementing the mandatory precautionary measures.
13. When will the Updated Assessment Framework be implemented?
Implementation date will be 5 April 2021. The Mandatory Precautionary Measures (effective date: 5 April 2021) will apply to all inbound vessels arriving at our Singapore-based shipyards and waterfront facilities on 5 April 2021 onwards. For vessel repair jobs that shipyards have already issued the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) in accordance with the Mandatory Precautionary Measures dated 19th Feb, shipyards are to write to their respective account managers from the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) or Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and copy to EDB Central COVID Ops (CCO) team at cco@edb.gov.sg, with their specific queries at least 7 calendar days in advance. The case will be assessed accordingly, and an approval may be given on a case-by-case basis.
14. Under what situation must SmartEntry@Sea be implemented?
All owners, occupiers and managers of any waterfront facility i.e. any pier, wharf, dock, terminal, marina – must ensure that SmartEntry@Sea check-in/out points and QR codes are made available for shore-based personnel who are departing to board a vessel in port (e.g. anchorage).
In addition, all owners, occupiers and managers of any waterfront facility must ensure that any shore-based personnel going on board a vessel in the port, produce proof of valid negative test COVID-19 test result, before allowing the shore-based personnel to go on board. The owner, occupier or manager of any waterfront facility must also not allow any shore-based personnel who has any specified symptom (coughing, sneezing, breathlessness, a runny nose, loss of sense of smell or anosmia) or is otherwise physically unwell, to go on board the vessel.
Please refer to MPA’s Port Marine Circular No. 08 of 2021 for more details.
15. For quarantined vessel to power down safely, ship owner/ship agent must arrange for replacement crew for the minimal manning. If the replacement crew cannot be found, what must the ship owner/agent do?
Ship owner/agent are to write in to NEA Port Health Section (PHS) and EDB for any deviation to this rule.
COVID-Safe Accommodation and Transport
1. Are workers allowed to take public or personal transport?
Workers living in dormitories will have to be provided with dedicated transport from their place of accommodation to the worksite by their employers. Please refer to MOM’s guidance for more information.
2. Do I have to segregate my workers at their accommodation according to their projects and teams?
Yes. Companies must work with dormitory operators to segregate workers according to their worksites and teams so as to avoid inter-mixing. For workers residing in FEDA-licensed dormitories, employers and dormitory operators are to work together to cohort these workers in compliance with BCA/EDB’s requirements here.
Staggered Rest Day
1. Which companies will be affected by this requirement and will this be imposed on all employees within the company?
Only companies who employ foreign workers in the Marine Shipyard sector will be affected. Staggered rest days will apply to all Work Permit and S Pass holders hired under the Marine Shipyard account. Companies can check the category of their foreign workers via Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM’s) Work Permit Online or Employment Pass Online. Companies are required to adopt and implement the staggered rest day arrangement for these employees.
2. My Marine Shipyard account foreign workers are working in the office and not on the production site, are they required to follow the staggered rest day arrangement?
Yes, all Marine Shipyard account Work Permit and S Pass holders are included regardless of their assigned worksite and role. This will help to reduce crowding when they are out on personal activities on their rest days.
3. My Marine account Work Permit and S Pass holders are currently having Sunday as their rest day. What am I required to do in order to comply with the staggered rest days requirement?
Under the staggered rest day requirement, employers are to assign their Marine account Work Permit and S Pass holders a rest day between Monday to Saturday according to the company’s allocated rest day arrangement.
If Sunday is not their rest day, these employees can work on Sunday without overtime pay that is needed for working on their rest day.
4. Are my Marine Shipyard account foreign workers allowed to work on their allocated rest day?
Yes, the worker can work on their rest day as stipulated under the Employment Act, but conditions of pay and other matters must not contravene those stipulated in the Act.
5. If I have no critical production needs and do not want to operate on Sunday, do my Marine Shipyard account workers still need to report to work as it is not their assigned rest day?
No, if the company is not operating on Sunday, these workers need not report to the worksite, but they will not be able to leave their dormitory for leisure or personal errands that day. The workers can leave the dormitories for leisure or personal reasons only on their assigned rest day each week.
6. If my Marine Shipyard account foreign workers usually have two rest days per week, can they be given two rest days?
Yes, companies can allow workers to have more than one rest day. Nonetheless, companies need to update only one of the rest days in the Safe@Work system. This will be the day where the workers will be able to leave their dormitory for leisure and personal reasons. On other rest days, the worker need not work, but will need to rest in their dormitory during this stage of the pandemic.
7. Will this staggered rest day arrangement apply to my Marine Shipyard account foreign workers who are not living in dormitories?
Yes, companies are required to implement the staggered rest day arrangement for their Marine Shipyard account workers regardless of their place of residence. Staggered rest day is needed to prevent the risk of large numbers of people congregating on their rest days, which will heighten the risk of COVID-19 transmission. This arrangement will reduce the pool of people interacting with others outside of work on any given day, and mitigate the public health risk to themselves, and others. However, workers not living in dormitories will not be required to apply for Exit Pass to leave their residence.
8. Is there an end date for this staggered rest day arrangement?
The arrangement is needed to minimise the risk of large numbers of people congregating, and thereby reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Staggered rest days will be reviewed when the COVID-19 pandemic has abated.
9. Will there be enforcement? What will be the penalties for employers and employees who do not comply with the staggered rest day arrangement?
Employers will be responsible to implement and communicate the staggered rest day arrangement to their employees. Thereafter, employees are responsible to adhere to their arrangements. MOM will take action against employers that do not comply.
10. My Marine account workers are residing in non-dormitory residences. Are they allowed to go out every day after work and even on Sunday? E.g. for dinner in the evening after work, to the supermarket, take annual leave, visit friends and relatives.
Yes. The Exit Pass requirement applies only to dormitory (e.g. PBD, FCD, CTQ, TOLQ, TLQ or government-arranged housing) residents.
11. What are the type of dormitories that are subjected to entry and exit regulations? What will I need to exit the dormitory for leisure during my staggered rest day?
If you stay in a dormitory (e.g. PBD, FCD, CTQ, TOLQ, TLQ or government-arranged housing), you must have an Exit Pass to go out for leisure. If you stay in other housing types (e.g HDB flat, Private Residential Property), you do not need an Exit Pass.
12. Do we need to submit essential errands request to MOM when workers run errands on their rest day?
Yes, workers whose dormitory is declared COVID-cleared and are not serving a Quarantine Order or Stay-Home Notice can leave the dormitory to run essential errands. For essential errands, workers’ employer or dormitory operator are required to notify MOM at www.mom.gov.sg/essential-errands-request, and they can then leave for their specified errand. This is regardless of AccessCode status, and no Exit Pass is needed. Essential errands include medical appointments, court appointments, MOM-approved training and Work Pass related errands.
13. When can workers holding work permits and S passes, and staying in dormitories, leave their dormitories for medical examinations, including Rostered Routine Testing (“RRT”)?
Workers staying in dormitories are required to undergo RRT every 14 days. They are allowed to leave their dormitories for RRT, regardless of their AccessCode status, for medical examinations as required by the Government (e.g. COVID-19 testing), which would include the RRT Scheme. The workers should show the dorm operator proof of their RRT appointment to exit the dorm.
14. If a Public Holiday falls on an employee’s new rest day on a weekday, is the employee entitled to another day off the following day, and if they are required to work, then do we need to pay overtime?
Yes, if the holiday falls on a rest day, the next working day is a paid holiday. If the employee is required to work, he/she shall be remunderated in accordance to the Employment Act for working on a Public Holiday.
15. My employee’s rest day is Sunday, and his employment contract stipulates a higher rate of pay for working on Sunday. If his new assigned rest day is a weekday, will I still have to pay the higher rate for him to work on Sunday?
Employers may re-negotiate employment contracts to adjust the rate of pay for working on Sunday, if it becomes a non-rest day.
16. I am experiencing issues with updating Rest Day in Safe@Work. What should I do?
Please refer to the answers for frequently asked questions here. If you are still experiencing issues, please contact MOM for assistance.
Assignment Of Staggered Rest Day
17. Why are Sponsoring Shipyards and their Resident Contractors grouped together for the staggered rest day arrangement?
Resident Contractors are supported by a specific Sponsoring Shipyard. As Sponsoring Shipyards work very closely with their Resident Contractors they are provided with the flexibility to coordinate the staggered rest day arrangements according to operational needs. Sponsoring Shipyards are to ensure that between the shipyard and Resident Contractors there is an even spread of Marine Shipyard account workers resting each day across Monday to Saturday.
For example: A Sponsoring Shipyard has 100 marine pass holders. Their Resident Contractor A and B has 30 and 50 Marine pass holders respectively. Together, they have a total of 180 marine workers. Sponsoring Shipyard will work together with Resident Contractor A and B, and coordinate such that 30 marine workers (180 ÷ 6 = 30) between them are resting each day from Monday to Saturday.
18. My company wishes to adopt the randomly assigned rest day option. Can we choose our preferred rest day between Monday to Saturday?
No. The rest day will be randomly assigned for all companies that have chosen this option. This is to ensure even distribution of workers resting across the 6 days.
19. If I am adopting the equal spread of Marine Shipyard account workers resting between Monday to Saturday, am I allowed to swap the workers’ rest days in the Safe@Work system while keeping to the numbers resting each day?
Yes, companies are allowed to change the workers’ rest day in the Safe@Work system while adhering to the numbers resting each day. However, employers are to ensure fair treatment to workers and timely communication to allow workers to make the necessary adjustment, and should not prevent their workers from applying for an Exit Pass, or force them to work on their rest day against their will.