China, Singapore Pact on Electronic Certificates in Shipping

China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote bilateral use and recognition of electronic certificates in shipping.

Dr Cao Desheng, Director General of MSA signed the MOU on Electronic Certificates with Ms Quah Ley Hoon, Chief Executive of MPA at the 11th China-Singapore Senior Officials’ Committee Meeting (SOCM) in Beijing, China.

International shipping plays an important role in global trade and economic development, and is responsible for more than 80 per cent of world trade, transporting goods and raw materials.

The certificates of ships and its crew are key documents used in port clearance.

The use of electronic certificates will bring several benefits, from improving the efficiency of port clearance, reducing the administrative burden on shipping companies and ships, to allowing for effective enforcement by maritime and port authorities.

 This MOU and the collaboration by both countries on the use of Electronic Certificates build upon the partnership between China and Singapore under the 2011 MOU on Maritime, Shipping and Port Cooperation between China’s Ministry of Transport and Singapore’s Ministry of Transport. They also advance the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).