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Singapore has announced that it will deposit its Instrument of Accession to the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships, 2001 (AFS Convention) with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in a move which is designed to encourage shipping firms to remain fuel efficient by using eco-friendly anti-fouling systems.

The AFS Convention was adopted at the IMO on 5 October 2001, and entered into force on 17 September 2008. When it enters into force for Singapore on 31 March 2010, the country will join 40 other countries to be a party to the AFS Convention. The Convention will apply to ships registered with Singapore and also to ships calling at the Port of Singapore. Singapore's accession followed consultations with the Singapore Shipping Association and the Association of Singapore Marine Industries.

MPA Chief Executive, Mr Lam Yi Young said, "As one of the world's busiest port, protection of the marine environment is of great importance to Singapore. Singapore's accession to the AFS Convention underscores our commitment to environmentally-friendly shipping and port activities."

Anti-fouling paints/systems are used to coat the hulls of a ship to prevent fouling organisms such as algae and molluscs from attaching to it. If allowed to build up, these fouling organisms would reduce the speed of the vessel or increase the fuel consumption to maintain a certain speed. Some of these anti-fouling paints contain chemicals that are harmful to the marine environment.

The purpose of the AFS Convention is to ban the use of harmful anti-fouling paints/systems on the hulls of new and existing ships and encourage the use of environment friendly anti-fouling paints such as silicon paint.

For a ship previously painted with harmful anti-fouling paints, the Convention requires it to bear a coating that forms a barrier to such compounds leaching from the underlying non-compliant anti-fouling systems. It also ensures that sludge and residues containing harmful anti-fouling substances generated during removal of old paints are properly treated and disposed of. Since 2003, anti-fouling paints with harmful chemicals are no longer produced by international paint manufacturers.

The accession to the AFS Convention adds to the list of IMO Conventions on the protection of the marine environment which Singapore had ratified and implemented. In addition to the AFS Convention, Singapore is also a Party to all six annexes of MARPOL 73/78; the 1990 Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention and its 2000 protocol dealing with chemical pollution; the 1992 Civil Liability and Fund conventions; and the 2001 Bunker Convention.