Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control (Maritime Industry — Exemption) Order 2025

No. S 373

Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021

Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control
(Maritime Industry — Exemption)
Order 2025

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 87(3) of the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021, the Minister for Home Affairs makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order is the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control (Maritime Industry — Exemption) Order 2025 and comes into operation on 1 July 2025.

Definitions

2.  In this Order —

“airgun accessory” means a gun accessory that is designed to be or can be fitted to, or is adapted to fit, an airgun;

“airgun part” means a gun part of an airgun;

“armed maritime escort” means an individual who is employed or engaged in or outside Singapore —

(a) by any person who is accredited under the ISO 28007‑1:2015 or an equivalent standard recognised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore; and

(b) to serve as an armed maritime escort on a ship on a journey;

“auxiliary police officer” means a member of an Auxiliary Police Force created under the Police Force Act 2004;

“baggage” means the personal property of any passenger or crew member of a ship —

(a) that is carried on board the ship by agreement with the owner, manager, charterer, operator, agent or master of the ship; and

(b) to which the passenger or crew member will have general access while on board the ship;

“crew”, in relation to a ship, means all seafarers employed or engaged or working in any capacity on board that ship;

“crew member” means a member of the crew of a ship and includes an armed maritime escort;

“firearm” means a gun that —

(a) is designed or adapted to fire bullets, shots or other projectiles by means of burning propellant; and

(b) if used in the way for which it is designed or adapted, is capable of being aimed at a target and causing hurt or injury by propelling a bullet, shot or other projectile;

“gun part”, for a gun, means a major part of the gun;

“handgun” means a gun that is designed or adapted for aiming and firing from the hand and is reasonably capable of being carried concealed about the person of an individual;

“inoperable state”, for a gun, includes being not loaded with any ammunition or other projectile that may be fired or shot using the gun;

“ISO 28007-1:2015” means the 2015 edition of the Guidelines for Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSC) providing privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) on board ships (and pro forma contract) ISO 28007‑1:2015 published by the International Organization for Standardization on 1 April 2015;

“master” includes every individual, except a pilot, having command or charge of any ship;

“passenger” means an individual carried on board a ship with the knowledge or consent of the owner, manager, charterer, operator, agent or master of the ship, but excludes the following individuals:

(a) a crew member;

(b) an individual on board the ship either —

(i) pursuant to an obligation imposed on the master of the ship by any law (including a law of a country other than Singapore) to carry shipwrecked or distressed individuals or other individuals; or

(ii) by reason of circumstances that neither the owner, master nor the charterer (if any) of the ship could have prevented or forestalled;

(c) a port worker;

(d) an individual temporarily employed on the ship during the period it is in port;

(e) an inspector or other like official making any investigation or inspection or witnessing any training, practice or test for the purposes of any written law about maritime safety;

“pilot” means any individual who does not belong to, but has the conduct of, a ship;

“relevant firearm” means any of the following firearms:

(a) a firearm that is a handgun, whether an automatic or a semi‑automatic gun;

(b) a revolver;

(c) an automatic pistol, a semi‑automatic pistol or a self‑loading pistol;

(d) a single‑barrel or double‑barrel shotgun (not being self‑loading or pump action);

(e) a self‑loading shotgun or pump action shotgun;

(f) a rifle that is not self‑loading;

(g) a break action combination shotgun and rifle;

(h) an automatic rifle, a semi‑automatic rifle or a self‑loading rifle;

(i) a selective‑fire rifle capable of switching between semi‑automatic to fully‑automatic mode of operation (including one designed or adapted for military purposes);

(j) a machine gun or sub‑machine gun;

“relevant firearm accessory” means a gun accessory that is designed to be or can be fitted to, or is adapted to fit, a relevant firearm;

“relevant firearm part” means a gun part of a relevant firearm;

“relevant weapon” means any of the following weapons:

(a) an axe, including a tomahawk, a “Ge”, a parashu or an “Ono”;

(b) a machete or parang;

(c) a karambit or diving knife or other like sharp pointed stabbing instrument designed for hand‑to‑hand combat and ordinarily capable of being concealed on the person of an individual, but not any of the following:

(i) a bayonet, sword, spear or spearhead;

(ii) a push knife or push dagger;

(iii) a throwing knife;

(iv) a trench knife;

(v) a kris, kirpan or dirk;

(d) a flick knife or a switchblade knife, or other like knife in respect of which —

(i) the blade is concealed when folded or recessed into the handle and springs or is released into the extended position by the operation of a button or other device on the handle; or

(ii) the blade is wholly or partially concealed by a sheath that can be withdrawn into the handle of the knife by gravity, centrifugal force or by the operation of a button or other device;

“seafarer” means any individual, including the master, who is employed or engaged or works in any capacity on board a ship, but does not include —

(a) a pilot;

(b) a port worker; or

(c) an individual temporarily employed on the ship during the period it is in port;

“seaplane” means an aircraft designed to manoeuvre on the water;

“ship” means any kind of vessel used in navigation by water, however propelled or moved and regardless of ship registry, and includes —

(a) a barge, lighter or other floating vessel;

(b) an air‑cushion vehicle, or other similar craft, used wholly or primarily in navigation by water;

(c) an offshore industry mobile unit; and

(d) a WIG craft or wing‑in‑ground craft, or a seaplane, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water,

but does not include —

(e) any harbour craft that is used solely within the limits of the port that may be declared under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Act 1996;

(f) any vessel which navigates exclusively in inland waters or waters within, or closely adjacent to, sheltered waters or areas where the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Port) Regulations (Rg 7) apply;

(g) any ship belonging to the naval, military or air forces of Singapore or any other country;

(h) any vessel engaged exclusively in fishing or in similar pursuits;

(i) any ship of traditional build such as dhows and junks; and

(j) any ship that is intended to be operated without any seafarer on board;

“Singapore waters” means the following waters:

(a) the whole of the sea within the seaward limits of the territorial waters of Singapore;

(b) all other waters (including inland waters) which are within these limits and are subject to the ebb and flow of the ordinary tides;

“suitable locked container” means a locked container that —

(a) is constructed of hard wood or steel and not easily penetrable;

(b) is locked with a locking mechanism of sufficient strength so as to prevent unlawful removal of the firearm or ammunition contained within; and

(c) is fixed to the structure or fittings of a ship in order to prevent its easy removal;

“suitable secure room” means a room in a ship that —

(a) is not inhabited by anyone; and

(b) is locked with a locking mechanism of sufficient strength so as to prevent unlawful access to the room;

“vessel engaged exclusively in fishing” means any vessel fishing with nets, lines, trawls or other fishing apparatus which restrict manoeuvrability, but does not include a vessel fishing with trolling lines or other fishing apparatus which do not restrict manoeuvrability;

“voyage”, in relation to a ship, means the whole time and the whole distance when the ship is at sea in the course of which the ship travels between —

(a) a port in Singapore and a port outside Singapore; or

(b) a port in Singapore and a place not within Singapore waters;

“WIG craft” or “wing‑in‑ground craft” means a multimodal craft which, in its main operational mode, flies by using ground effect above water or some other surface, without constant contact with the surface, and is supported in the air mainly by an aerodynamic lift generated on its wing or wings or its hull, or their parts, which are designed to utilise the ground effect action.

Application

3.—(1)  Subject to sub‑paragraphs (2) and (3), this Order applies only in relation to a passenger or crew member, or the master, of a ship that departs, on or after 1 July 2025, from Singapore waters on a voyage where —

(a) the passenger, crew member or master (as the case may be) entered Singapore on board the same ship; and

(b) that ship arrived in Singapore waters from a place outside Singapore not earlier than the 30th day before the date the ship departs, and for this purpose, any such arrival before 1 July 2025 is reckonable.

(2)  To avoid doubt, the exemption in this Order applies to a passenger, crew member or master of a ship only when he or she is in Singapore and regardless if he or she disembarks while in Singapore.

(3)  Nothing in this Order exempts the use or handling of any of the following:

(a) a prohibited gun;

(b) a prohibited explosive;

(c) a prohibited weapon;

(d) any explosive precursor or noxious substance;

(e) a prohibited gun accessory.

Personal firearm or ammunition of ship passenger or crew

4.—(1)  A passenger, a crew member or the master of a ship mentioned in paragraph 3(1) is exempt from —

(a) sections 11(1) and 14 of the Act for storing or having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any relevant firearm or relevant firearm part or any relevant firearm accessory, respectively; and

(b) sections 22(1) and 24(1) of the Act for storing or having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any ammunition, respectively,

where the relevant firearm or relevant firearm part, relevant firearm accessory, or ammunition (as the case may be) is the declared baggage of the passenger, crew member or master, and is kept in accordance with the safekeeping conditions in sub‑paragraphs (2) and (4), or sub‑paragraphs (3) and (4) (as the case may be), when he or she is in Singapore.

(2)  Where the relevant firearm or relevant firearm part, relevant firearm accessory, or ammunition mentioned in sub‑paragraph (1) is kept on board the ship, the relevant firearm, relevant firearm part, relevant firearm accessory or ammunition must be stored in the ship either —

(a) in a suitable secure room that is guarded against unauthorised access by 2 or more auxiliary police officers while armed with firearms; or

(b) in a suitable locked container that is guarded against unauthorised access and theft by 2 or more auxiliary police officers while armed with firearms.

(3)  Alternatively, where the relevant firearm or relevant firearm part, relevant firearm accessory, or ammunition mentioned in sub‑paragraph (1) is not kept on board the ship, the relevant firearm, relevant firearm part, relevant firearm accessory, or ammunition must be stored onshore with another person approved by a Licensing Officer for this purpose —

(a) by transferring, without delay after the ship moors or anchors in Singapore waters, the relevant firearm in an inoperable state, and the relevant firearm part, the relevant firearm accessory or the ammunition (as the case may be) to the temporary control or management of that other person; and

(b) by having that other person re‑transfer the relevant firearm in an inoperable state, and the relevant firearm part or the relevant firearm accessory or the ammunition (as the case may be) to the possession of the passenger, crew member or the master (as the case may be) of that ship before it leaves Singapore waters.

(4)  The relevant firearm mentioned in sub‑paragraph (1) must be stored in an inoperable state.

(5)  In this paragraph, “declared baggage”, of a passenger, crew member or master of a ship, means any property of the passenger, crew member or master about which the passenger, crew member or master gives to a Licensing Officer, at least 72 hours before the ship moors or anchors in Singapore waters, the following information:

(a) the passenger’s, crew member’s or master’s full name and the number of his or her identity card or passport;

(b) the name of the ship in which the passenger, crew member or master arrives in and will leave Singapore;

(c) the number of items of property, including the number of relevant firearms if more than one, and the number of rounds of ammunition;

(d) a description of the property (including the type, make, model and identification mark of the relevant firearm).

Personal airguns, weapons, etc., of ship passenger or crew

5.—(1)  A passenger, a crew member or the master of a ship mentioned in paragraph 3(1) is exempt from —

(a) sections 11(1) and 14 of the Act for storing or having possession of, and for importing or exporting, any airgun, airgun part or airgun accessory, respectively; and

(b) sections 29(1) and 31 of the Act for having possession of, and for importing or exporting, any relevant weapon, respectively,

where the airgun, airgun part, airgun accessory or relevant weapon is the baggage of the passenger, crew member or master, and is kept on board the ship in accordance with the safekeeping conditions in sub‑paragraphs (2) and (3), when he or she is in Singapore.

(2)  The airgun, airgun part, airgun accessory or relevant weapon mentioned in sub‑paragraph (1) must be stored —

(a) in a suitable secure room in the ship; or

(b) in a suitable locked container.

(3)  The airgun mentioned in sub‑paragraph (1) must be stored in an inoperable state.

(4)  However, this paragraph does not apply to a relevant weapon which is used or for use by a passenger, crew member or the master on board a ship for a genuine reason as defined in paragraph 6(5).

Use for genuine reason on board

6.—(1)  A passenger, a crew member or the master of a ship mentioned in paragraph 3(1) is exempt from —

(a) section 11(1) and (2) of the Act for storing or having possession of, and for using, any defined gun on board the ship, respectively;

(b) section 14 of the Act for importing or exporting any defined gun;

(c) sections 21(1) and 22(1) of the Act for using, and for storing or having possession of, any defined explosive device on board the ship, respectively;

(d) section 24(1) of the Act for importing or exporting any defined explosive device; and

(e) sections 29(1) and 31 of the Act for having possession of, and for importing or exporting, any relevant weapon on board the ship, respectively,

where the defined gun, defined explosive device or relevant weapon (as the case may be) is used or for use on board the ship by the passenger, crew member or master for a genuine reason, and is kept in accordance with the safekeeping conditions in sub‑paragraphs (2) and (3) when not in use.

(2)  When the defined gun, defined explosive device or relevant weapon mentioned in sub‑paragraph (1) is not actually in use on board the ship, the defined gun, defined explosive device or relevant weapon (as the case may be) must be stored either —

(a) in a suitable secure room in the ship; or

(b) in a suitable locked container.

(3)  The defined gun mentioned in sub‑paragraph (1) must be stored in an inoperable state when it is not actually in use on board the ship.

(4)  This paragraph extends to a vessel which navigates exclusively in inland waters or waters within, or closely adjacent to, sheltered waters or areas where the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Port) Regulations apply, as if it were a ship.

(5)  In this paragraph —

“defined explosive device” means a life raft, marine flare, fog signal, distress signal or fuse, landing flare, smoke generator or other pyrotechnic device intended for emergency and survival, signalling, prevention of collision at sea, warning, rescue or similar purposes;

“defined gun” means —

(a) a captive bolt gun, a stun gun or an electronic dart gun solely designed to tranquillise, immobilise or administer vaccines or other medicines to animals; or

(b) a “verey” pistol designed solely for the discharge of signal lights,

and includes any major part of a gun mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b), and any gun accessory that is designed to be or can be fitted to, or is adapted to fit, a gun mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b);

“genuine reason”, in relation to a passenger, crew member or master of a ship mentioned in sub‑paragraph (1), means —

(a) necessity in the conduct of —

(i) the passenger’s, crew member’s or master’s business; or

(ii) the passenger’s, crew member’s or master’s employment or engagement or work in any capacity on board the ship other than as an armed maritime escort,

to possess or use a defined gun, defined explosive device or relevant weapon;

(b) being an owner or a transporter of animal cargo on the ship who may need to destroy animals to avoid suffering;

(c) vertebrate pest animal control before, during or after a journey of that ship; or

(d) prevention of collision at sea, or emergency and survival at sea.

(6)  However, the possession or use of a defined gun or relevant weapon by an individual for the protection of his or her family or any other individual or property is not a genuine reason for the possession or use of the defined gun or relevant weapon.

Made on 23 May 2025.

PANG KIN KEONG

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs,
Singapore.

[112/2/029; AG/LEGIS/SL/121C/2020/9]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 92 of the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021).