The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will host the 19th meeting of the Aids to Navigation Fund (ANF) Committee from 14 to 15 September 2017. 

2.      One of three pillars of the Co-operative Mechanism on Safety of Navigation and Environmental Protection in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (“Co-operative Mechanism”), the ANF was established to facilitate financial contributions for the provision and maintenance of critical aids to navigation in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS). Aids to navigation are vital for safety of navigation in waterways such as the SOMS, which remains and will continue to be, one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.

3.        Since its inception in 2007, the ANF has received contributions amounting to over US$22 million. Contributors to the ANF include the People’s Republic of China, Republic of India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, International Foundation for Aids to Navigation, International Maritime Organization, Malacca Strait Council, The Nippon Foundation, and Witherby Publishing Group. 

4.      The chairmanship of the ANF Committee is rotated amongst Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Singapore has chaired the ANF Committee since 2013 and will be handing over the chairmanship to Malaysia in 2018.

5.       Chairman of the ANF Committee, Capt. M Segar, Assistant Chief Executive (Operations), MPA said, “Singapore is honoured to have chaired the ANF Committee for the past five years. We are confident that the Committee will continue to advance its important work under Malaysia’s chairmanship. Singapore remains committed to working closely with our stakeholders including; the littoral States, user States, shipping industry and other extra-regional stakeholders of the SOMS, to promote safe navigation in the SOMS through the ANF.”