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General Declaration Requirements on Departures

An owner, agent or master must make a declaration before the vessel’s departure from Singapore to the Marine Licensing and Permits department (MLP) through digitalPORT@SGTM.

For vessels staying in port for 3 days or less, the applicant may choose to submit a combined Arrival and Departure General Declaration.

Information Required

The Departure General Declaration requires the submission of the following information: 

Vessel Details

  • Vessel Name
  • IMO number
  • Call Sign
  • Gross Tonnage (when a vessel has dual registered tonnages, the higher tonnage should be declared)
  • Port of Registry
  • Nationality of Registry (i.e. Flag)
  • Vessel Type
  • Official Number
  • Name of Vessel Owner
  • Charterer's Nationality

Purpose of call

  • Loading / Discharging of Cargo 
  • Embarking/ Disembarking Passengers
  • Taking Bunkers (to indicate grade and quantity)
  • Taking Ship's Supplies
  • Changing Members of Crew
  • Repair/ Docking/ Outfitting at Shipyard (to indicate shipyard details)
  • Offshore Support Vessel Without Cargo Operations
  • Other Afloat Activities (to indicate accordingly)

Departure Details

  • Departure Date and Time
  • Next Port of Call
  • Name of Master
  • Number of Crew (including Master)
  • Number of Passengers
  • Total Cargo on board on departure

Should you have further enquiries pertaining to the procedures, please contact Marine Licensing and Permits (MLP) department:

Operating Hours    

Mondays - Thursdays: 8.30am to 6.00pm

Fridays - 8.30am to 5.30pm
Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays
Tel No
1800 272 7777 (During operating hours)
6325 2488 / 6325 2489 (After Operating Hours)
EmailMLP@mpa.gov.sg

For technical issues regarding digitalPORT@SGTM (e.g. I can't log in despite multiple attempts, I can load the module etc.), please contact:

Operating Hours Daily: 8 am to 11 pm
Tel No1800 272 7777 (During operating hours)
EmaildigitalPORT@mpa.gov.sg

 

For vessels calling Singapore for the first time, an "Application of Vessel Record Creation" is to be submitted and approved through digitalPORT@SGTMprior to the submission of the General Declaration. For this application, the Certificate of Registry and International Tonnage Certificate (if available) is required.

The applicant shall ensure that all statutory and mandatory certificates of the vessel shall be in force when the vessel proceeds to the sea. A copy of the required certificates are to be submitted to MLP through digitalPORT@SGTMif it is the vessel’s first call to the port of Singapore and when the last recorded status with the MPA has expired or changed.

Please click here (.pdf, 521 KB) for the general guideline of certificates required.

According to Section 46(1) of the MPA Act (Cap.170A), all vessels can leave the port only when the Port Master grants a port clearance.

Upon successful submission of the Departure General Declaration, a Port Clearance Certificate (PCC) will be generated.

From January 2004, MPA has been issuing PCCs that are generated by the system through our Electronic Port Clearance (EPC) system. A sample copy of this new format and layout can be seen here (.pdf, 307 KB).

Anyone who wishes to confirm the authenticity of a PCC issued by MPA can click here. They will be prompted to enter a combination of details found only in the PCC and if correctly entered, receive confirmation of its authenticity.

According to Section 47(1) of the MPA Act (Cap.170A), a vessel must leave the port within 48 hours or a shorter period specified by the Port Master after obtaining the port clearance. An agent is also required to return the PCC to the Port Master within 6 hours after the expiry of the 48 hours or such shorter period, and if so required to obtain a fresh PCC.

These following vessels will not be granted port clearance:

 

  • Vessels arrested by the Sheriff of the High Court; or
  • Vessels detained for non-compliance with provisions of the MPA Act (Cap.170A) or any other written laws; or
  • Vessels with owners or masters who have failed to comply with the provisions of the MPA Act (Cap.170A) or any other written laws; or
  • Vessels with owners or masters charged with an offence under any of the provisions of the MPA Act (Cap.170A) or any other written laws.

The shipping community may choose to carry out port clearance formalities for vessels through shipping agencies that are able to submit the EPC through digitalPORT@SGTM.

EPC users can apply and obtain port clearance for vessels when they undertake and declare that their vessels are properly crewed and possess the valid certificates and documents. EPC users need not present the original certificates to MLP for inspection before the vessel’s departure with this undertaking. However, EPC users are required to submit copies of the certificates to MLP through digitalPORT@SGTM if the last recorded status with the MPA has expired or changed.

EPC users no longer need to submit the last port clearance certificate and departure crew list and/or passengers list to MLP (since 1 March 2008). EPC users only need to retain the vessel’s last port clearance and departure crew list and/or passenger list for 3 months. EPC users will still need to produce these documents should MPA require for the purpose of audit checks. Any wrongful declaration or failure to submit these documents may lead to prosecution action.

To apply for the use of the EPC Scheme, please login to digitalPORT@SGTM and select the “Application for Electronic Port Clearance Scheme” function.