Singapore revises health declaration requirements for arriving vessels
Singapore has introduced revised health declaration requirements for arriving vessels, with mandatory reporting based on recent travel history and onboard health conditions.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) issued Port Marine Circular No. 11 of 2026 on 4 November, outlining updated requirements established by the National Environment Agency (NEA) for submitting the Maritime Declaration of Health (MDH). The new requirements took effect on 30 October 2026 and replace those previously specified in Port Marine Circular No. 03 of 2026.
Under the revised rules, vessels arriving at the Port of Singapore must submit an MDH if they meet any of four specified conditions relating to recent port calls, crew or passenger travel history, or health concerns on board.
When is a health declaration mandatory?
According to the NEA, submission of the MDH is mandatory for vessels that fall into any of the following categories:
- Ships that have called at ports in any of the 38 countries or locations listed in the circular during the previous 21 days.
- Ships carrying crew members or passengers who have traveled to any of the listed locations within the previous 21 days.
- Ships with anyone suspected of having an infectious disease or with a deceased person on board.
- Ships with any sick person on board.
The list of affected locations includes several countries in Africa and the Middle East, such as Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It also includes the Indian states of Kerala and West Bengal.
Submission requirements for arriving vessels
Vessels meeting any of the specified conditions must submit their health declaration to the NEA’s Port Health Office at least 12 hours before arrival at the Port of Singapore.
The declaration must be accompanied by the following documents:
- Crew and passenger lists.
- A current copy of the Ship Sanitation Certificate.
- A list of the vessel’s last 10 ports of call.
- A list of all passengers and crew members with body temperatures exceeding 37.5°C.
The MDH form also requires masters to provide information on the vessel’s voyage history, suspected infectious diseases, illness or deaths during the voyage, and any sanitary measures taken on board.
The NEA states that noncompliance with the submission requirements may constitute a breach of Singapore’s Infectious Diseases (Quarantine) Regulations.
Requirements may be extended
The NEA indicated that mandatory health declarations could be extended to vessels arriving from locations not currently listed if the global health situation changes or new diseases of concern are detected.
The revised requirements place particular importance on verifying recent port calls, monitoring crew and passenger health, and maintaining accurate pre-arrival documentation.
For ship operators and masters, the changes mean that vessels must be assessed against the specified reporting conditions before arrival to determine whether an MDH submission is required. The updated measures form part of Singapore’s port health controls aimed at identifying potential infectious disease risks associated with international shipping.
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