Statute Details
- Title: Merchant Shipping (Official Log Books) Regulations
- Act Code: MSA1995-RG22
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary legislation (sl)
- Authorising Act: Merchant Shipping Act (Chapter 179), section 89
- Regulation Citation: Rg 22; G.N. No. S 48/1996
- Revised Edition: 1997 (15 June 1997)
- Commencement (from extract): 2 February 1996 (2nd February 1996)
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Key Provisions: Definitions (reg 2); log book requirement (reg 3); entries and timing (regs 4, 8); signing/witnessing (regs 5–7); amendment/cancellation regime (reg 9); production and delivery (regs 10–11); offences and penalty (reg 12)
- Schedule: “Entries required to be made in the official log books” (with Parts I–III and specific paragraphs)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Merchant Shipping (Official Log Books) Regulations (“the Regulations”) set out Singapore’s mandatory requirements for keeping official log books on board Singapore-registered ships. In practical terms, they require the ship’s master and specified crew/officers to record certain operational, safety, disciplinary, and load line related events in a prescribed log book format, and to do so within defined timeframes.
The Regulations are designed to create an auditable, contemporaneous record of key matters affecting the ship and those on board. Such records are essential for port state control, investigations after incidents, verification of compliance with safety and load line regimes, and (where relevant) disciplinary processes. The log book is therefore not merely administrative paperwork; it is a regulated compliance instrument that can be demanded by the Director and later delivered for oversight.
Although the Regulations are subsidiary legislation, they operate within the broader framework of the Merchant Shipping Act (Chapter 179). They specify what must be recorded (via the Schedule), who must record it, how entries must be signed and witnessed, and what happens if an entry is inaccurate or incomplete. They also establish enforcement mechanisms: failure to comply can lead to criminal liability for the master and other persons responsible.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Requirement to keep an official log book (reg 3)
Regulation 3(1) provides the core obligation: an official log book shall be kept in every ship registered in Singapore, unless otherwise stated. Regulation 3(2) adds a formality requirement: the official log book must be in a form approved by the Director. This ensures standardisation and supports later review and enforcement.
2. What entries must be made (reg 4 and the Schedule)
Regulation 4 links the obligation to the Schedule. It requires that entries of particulars specified in the Schedule be made “from time to time” in the official log book, subject to the Merchant Shipping Act and other regulations. The Schedule is structured into Parts I, II, and III, and the scope of entries varies depending on the ship’s regulatory context:
- Part I: entries are generally required for all ships (subject to the Act and regulations).
- Part II: entries apply to ships to which the Merchant Shipping (Disciplinary Offences) Regulations apply.
- Part III: entries apply to ships in respect of which a load line certificate has been issued under section 116 of the Act.
For practitioners, the Schedule is the operational heart of the regime. It identifies the specific particulars to be recorded, and (critically) it also drives who signs and who witnesses each entry (via columns 2 and 3 in each paragraph).
3. Who must make entries, and signing/witnessing rules (regs 5–6)
Regulation 5(1) requires that each entry be made by the person (or authorised person) specified in column 2 of the relevant Schedule paragraph. Regulation 5(2) then imposes formalities: each entry must be signed by the person specified (or one of the persons specified), and witnessed by the person specified in column 3. Regulation 5(4) further requires that each entry include the date when it is made.
Regulation 5(3) provides a practical exception: where an entry is to be signed by the master, it may (unless the Schedule indicates otherwise) be signed by an officer authorised by the master. However, Regulation 5(3) is not a free-for-all: if an officer is authorised to sign on the master’s behalf, the master must make an entry recording the authorisation, including the officer’s name and rank.
Regulation 6 is an enforcement provision with a clear consequence. If an entry that is required to be signed or witnessed by the master or a crew member is not made, signed, and witnessed in accordance with the Regulations, the master at the time the entry is or should have been made commits an offence. This makes the master the key accountable person for compliance with formalities.
4. Separate document for lengthy entries (reg 7)
Where it is not practicable to include an entry in the log book due to length, circumstances, or other reasons, Regulation 7 permits the entry to be contained in a separate document annexed to the official log book. The log book entry must refer to that annexed document, and references in the Regulations to an “official log book” extend to annexed documents. This is important for operational practicality while preserving the integrity of the record.
5. Timing of entries (reg 8)
Regulation 8 prescribes when entries must be made. It is not a single “as soon as possible” rule; instead, it sets multiple timing triggers tied to the Schedule paragraphs:
- At opening of the log book: entries specified in Schedule paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 35 must be made when the official log book is opened.
- Change of master: an additional entry for Schedule paragraph 3 must be made as soon as practicable after any change of master.
- New load line certificate: an additional entry for Schedule paragraph 35 must be made as soon as practicable after a new load line certificate is issued under section 116 of the Act.
- Arrival/departure movements: Schedule paragraph 7 entries must be made as soon as practicable after the ship arrives at or leaves a dock, wharf, anchorage, port, or harbour.
- Muster requirements: Schedule paragraph 9 entries must be made as soon as practicable after each muster should have been held under the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations or the Merchant Shipping (Non-Convention Ships) Safety Regulations.
- Illness/injury entries: Schedule paragraphs 30(b) and (c) must be made daily or at other times during the continuance of the illness or injury.
- Before proceeding to sea: Schedule paragraph 36 entries must be made before the ship leaves any dock/wharf/anchorage/harbour/port or other place for the purpose of proceeding to sea.
- General rule: “every other entry” must be made as soon as practicable after the occurrence to which it relates, or after the person intending to sign becomes aware of facts giving rise to an amendment or cancellation.
Regulation 8(7) adds a critical limitation: subject to Regulation 9, no entry shall be made after the expiry of the time referred to in regulation 11(1). This ties the log book’s “cut-off” to the delivery timeline for the official log book to the Director (see reg 11(1)). For compliance planning, this means late entries may be prohibited.
6. Amendment and cancellation regime (reg 9)
Regulation 9 establishes a strict default: entries shall not be amended or cancelled (reg 9(1)). This is a common integrity safeguard in log book regimes. However, Regulation 9(2) provides a controlled mechanism to correct inaccuracies:
- If the entry was required to be signed by the master and the current master believes it is inaccurate or incomplete, the master must make and sign a further entry referring to the original entry and amending or cancelling it—if practicable before the time limit in reg 11(1).
- If the entry was signed by another person, that person must similarly make and sign a further entry if practicable before the time limit.
Regulation 9(2) also makes clear that the formalities for the further entry mirror the original regime: Regulations 5(1) and (2)(b), 6, and 7 apply to the further entry.
After the time limit in reg 11(1), Regulation 9(3) shifts authority to the Director: if it appears to the Director that an entry is inaccurate or incomplete, the Director may make and sign a further entry, and shall (if practicable) inform any master or seaman to whom the further entry relates. Regulation 9(4) creates an offence for persons who fail to comply with the correction duty in reg 9(2).
7. Production and delivery to the Director (regs 10–11)
Regulation 10 requires the master to produce the official log book on demand to the Director. Failure to comply is an offence by the master.
Regulation 11 addresses post-employment delivery. Upon discharge of the last person employed in the ship under a crew agreement, the master must deliver the official log book to the Director within:
- 48 hours if the ship is in Singapore; or
- 21 days if the ship is not in Singapore; or
- if not practicable within those periods, as soon as practicable thereafter.
Again, failure to comply is an offence by the master.
8. Offences and penalty (reg 12)
Regulation 12 provides the general penalty: any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the Regulations commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000. While the penalty is relatively modest, the Regulations’ structure makes compliance critical because log books are often central to investigations and regulatory scrutiny.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Regulations are structured as a short, operational instrument with:
- Regulation 1: Citation.
- Regulation 2: Definitions (including “entry”, “officer”, “seaman”, and references to safety and load line concepts).
- Regulations 3–11: The substantive compliance framework—keeping the log book, making entries, signing/witnessing, annexing separate documents, timing rules, amendment/cancellation controls, and duties to produce and deliver the log book.
- Regulation 12: Penalty and offence provision.
- The Schedule: The detailed matrix of required entries, including which particulars must be recorded and who is responsible for making, signing, and witnessing each entry (via columns 1–3).
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Regulations apply primarily to ships registered in Singapore. The obligation to keep an official log book is therefore tied to vessel registration status, not merely to the presence of Singapore crew or Singapore ports.
In terms of persons, the Regulations impose duties on the master (including production and delivery obligations and liability for failures in signing/witnessing), and on other officers/crew or authorised persons specified in the Schedule to make entries and/or sign and witness them. The definition of “seaman” in the Schedule context expressly includes the master for certain Schedule paragraphs, which can expand the practical scope of who must comply with particular entry requirements.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
For maritime practitioners, the Regulations matter because they operationalise compliance through a documentary record. In disputes, investigations, and regulatory enforcement, the official log book is often the first place authorities look to confirm what happened, when it happened, and who recorded it. The Regulations’ integrity rules—especially the prohibition on amending or cancelling entries and the requirement to make a further entry—help ensure that corrections are transparent and traceable.
The timing provisions in Regulation 8 also have practical significance. They create clear compliance expectations for routine operations (opening entries, daily/periodic illness entries, muster entries after safety drills, and entries before departure). Non-compliance can lead to criminal liability, and even where the penalty is capped, the evidential consequences can be substantial.
Finally, the production and delivery duties (Regulations 10 and 11) ensure that the Director can access the log book promptly and that records are retained for oversight. The cut-off concept in Regulation 8(7) and the post-deadline correction mechanism in Regulation 9(3) further reinforce that the log book is treated as a controlled record with defined lifecycle stages.
Related Legislation
- Merchant Shipping Act (Chapter 179) — including section 89 (authorising power) and section 116 (load line certificate context)
- Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations (Rg 11)
- Merchant Shipping (Non-Convention Ships) Safety Regulations (Rg 9)
- Merchant Shipping (Disciplinary Offences) Regulations (Rg 21)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Merchant Shipping (Official Log Books) Regulations for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.