1.
GV EXT Delegates arriving at conference hall
9 ft

2.
SV EXT Views of conference centre "PSA Towers"
14 ft

3.
SV Delegates taking their seats at table (2 SHOTS)
28 ft

4.
SV Singapore Minister of Communication Mr. Ong Teng Cheong
35 ft

5.
SV Delegates listening to address (3 SHOTS)
45 ft

6.
SV Minister continues his speech
48 ft

7.
SV and GV Delegates at conference table
55 ft


The scheme is also designed, which is similar to a one-way system, using the straits. Its a major problem for Malaysia which gets most of its fish from the waters there. In 1975 the Japanese vessel ran aground in Singapore, spilling thousand of tonnes of crude oil into the straits. (SEQ 1-3)



Singapore's senior Minister of Communication Mr. Ong Teng Cheong told the conference that the straits was still an important link between East and West. He said remain that way and at the same time be made safer for navigation. (SEQ 4)



Tankers exceeding 280,000 dead weight tonnes would have to reduce their loads to provide greater draught or make an expensive detour through Indonesia's Lombok Straits which add three days to the Japan-Middle East voyage. Japan is asking the conference for a delay of the requirement. (SEQ 5-7)




Initials



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: One of the world's most heavily used sealanes, the Malacca Straits...is to be made safer for shipping. Senior Officials of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia began on Thursday (2 March) a two day meeting in Singapore to discuss proposals for a safer navigation scheme.

SYNOPSIS: Delegates to the closed door meeting have been discussing the implementation on a traffic separation scheme worked out by the three participating countries and approved in London last November by the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation.

The separation scheme, which is similar to a one-way system, is designed to keep apart the numerous supertankers which daily ply the 500 mile (800 km) long sealane.

Most affected by any new scheme will be Japan, who use the straits to import all their oil from the Middles East. According to shipping circles, Japan could face an additional oil import bill of more than 100 million US dollars as a result of the scheme.