Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow on Wednesday (4 February) called for international cooperation to combat shadow fleet vessels operating just beyond Singapore’s territorial waters.
He said this in his written reply to a parliamentary question on what steps the Government is taking to coordinate with international partners to address regulatory and enforcement gaps arising.
This is in light of reports that shadow fleet vessels engaging in illegal or deceptive shipping practices for the facilitation of circumventing sanctions often operate just beyond Singapore’s territorial waters.
“Singapore fully implements United Nations Security Council resolutions and does not condone illegal or deceptive activities by shadow fleet vessels,” Siow said in his reply.
“All vessels that do not comply with our domestic legislation and requirements, as well as the relevant conventions and instruments of the IMO (International Maritime Organization) may be denied entry into or detained in Singapore.”
He said local agencies already work closely with neighbouring countries to combat illicit maritime activities in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, including sharing information and conducting coordinated patrols with Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand through the Malacca Straits Patrol.
“Singapore is one of the Vessel Traffic Service authorities for the Mandatory Ship Reporting System in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. In the areas under our purview, we closely monitor vessel movements and provide information to ensure safety of navigation,” Siow said.
Any contraventions of the IMO’s conventions and instruments are reported to the vessels’ Flag State for their follow-up actions.
“This is an important and complex issue that the Singapore Government pays close attention to. We will continue working closely with international partners to address these challenges effectively,” he added.
Photo credit: Shaah Shahidh on Unsplash
Published: 6 February, 2026
