Ships documents and a valid passport for all crew members must be on board.
Most international visitors will automatically get a two week visa on entry. The initial visa is renewable for a further two weeks and it is possible to obtain extensions for up to ninety days. Private vessels may be moored in Singapore for long periods as entry visas apply to individuals only.
Currently all immigration clearing out and back into Singapore by visiting yachts must be done at sea. Yachts requiring immigration clearance must display the “2” and “5” flags by day and two green lights in a vertical line by night.
The officials will approach a yacht by small powerboat and it is prudent to carry a fishing net on a pole with which to transfer documents and thus save on paint/gelcoat.
Two designated anchorages may be used. The first is Western Quarantine & Immigration Anchorage. This is just to the north of the Sister Islands. There are two immigration boats standing by in this area and they monitor VHF channel 14. The second designated anchorage is Changi General Purposes Anchorage. The immigration officer will conduct a face-to-face check on all persons on the yacht. A Landing Pass valid for two weeks will then be granted.
It is also possible for visiting yachts using Raffles Marina or Royal Singapore Yacht Club facilities to request the marina dock master to carry out clearance procedures on behalf of the yacht, for a fee. Prior notification is recommended.
For general enquiries, the immigration checkpoint is at:
Seaman’s Section,The Port Clearance Office is in Tanjong Pagar Complex
Yachts rounding Singapore are well advised to contact Vessel Traffic Information Service (VTIS) on VHF when approaching Singapore waters. The controllers are very professional and will help yachts avoid large cargo vessels in congested waters and increment weather.
There are three zones, each with their own VHF channel (*):
• VTIS East Ch. 10
• VTIS Central Ch. 14
• VTIS West Ch. 73
If you have more than one VHF radio, keep one unit on Ch. 16 and use the main unit for VTIS communication. Before arrival check your charts so you are familiar with the location of the following landmarks and be prepared to report your position in relation to these landmarks at all times:
• Horsburgh Light
• Eastern Buoy (**)
• Sakijan Light
• Raffles Light
• Sultan Shoal Light
• Pulau Iyu Kecil Light
West bound yachts contact VTIS East when abeam of Horsburgh Light. East bound yachts contact VTIS West when abeam of Pulau Iyu Kecil Light.
Be ready to supply the following information without delay in correct radio-speak.
(Tip: listen for a while to other ships talking with VTIS and learn from this):
1. Vessel name and call sign
2. GPS position
3. Position in distance and bearing from any of the above landmarks
4. True course
5. Speed in knots and tenth of knots
6. Explain you are pleasure yacht and not equipped with AIS (Automatic Identification System)
The operator will plot your vessel onto their tracking radar and assist you in collision avoidance. VTIS East will hand you over to VTIS Central and vice versa. The operators also facilitate communication between you and the bridge of nearby cargo vessels. Follow instructions and your passage around Singapore will be safe and interesting.
(*) A similar system called VTS is in place in the southern part of the Malacca Straight, from Iyu Kecil Light to One Fathom Bank. Again, each sector has a dedicated VHF channel but the operators are not as helpful to pleasure yachts as their Singaporean colleagues.
Inshore Traffic Zone
Yachts sailing through this part of the Malacca Straits, whether north bound or south bound, should navigate though the Inshore Traffic Zone which runs between the east (north bound) shipping lane and the Malaysian coast. Navigating close to the Sumatran coast is not advisable.
(**) Eastern Buoy is a significant landmark for any vessel going to or coming from Sebana Cove Marina or Singapore Changi Sailing Club.
While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book is accurate, the charts of anchorages are based on personal experience and satellite imagery and are intended as a guide only. They should not be used for navigation. Please refer to Official Hydrographic Charts of the respective countries.
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