Floating a New Way of Housing
As the number of COVID-19 cases in foreign worker dormitories surged, with four dormitories under quarantine in April 2020, more had to be done to curb the spread of the virus. Migrant workers who were feeling well and in essential services had to be housed separately from those in quarantine within the dorms.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) partnered with terminal operator PSA Singapore, Keppel Offshore & Marine, floating accommodation operators, serviced apartment operator The Ascott Limited, and several government agencies to bring in and manage two floating accommodation vessels to house these migrant workers.
These floating accommodation vessels typically house offshore workers and can house around 500 people. Being mobile, they can be quickly set up to boost Singapore’s housing capacity.
However, at that time, many of the readily available vessels had communal washrooms instead of en-suite ones. The latter is a safety measure requirement, as Mr Goh Chung Hun, former Director (Shipping and Marine) at MPA's Shipping Division, told MPA’s Nautilus. This greatly reduced the number of suitable vessels available.
Nevertheless, after assessing for suitability, two vessels nearby in Johor, Malaysia, and Batam, Indonesia, were quickly brought to Singapore and prepared for the migrant workers. Wi-Fi and CCTV systems were installed along with smart thermal scanners, and the vessels’ fresh water tanks cleaned to store potable water.
As the demand for space increased, the number of floating accommodations managed was subsequently increased to seven, providing capacity to house up to 2,550 workers.
The migrant workers went through health checks before boarding and had to minimise interaction with other occupants, following the public health measures set out by the Ministry of Health (MOH). The residents had allotted times in the day to exercise on the decks, enjoy the view, or run errands.
The MPA had also prepared foreign exchange and remittance services, a mini-mart, and laundry and barber services. Wi-Fi was freely available for the workers to stay connected to loved ones or keep entertained.
Ms Chong Lee Fee, Deputy Director (International Programme) at the MPA Academy, said: “It was not an easy operation having to work with many stakeholders across a number of agencies. However, it was a fulfilling experience as all parties did their best to support the Whole-of-Government efforts to look after the welfare of the migrant workers and seafarers.”
Isolation facilities and a medical facility, staffed by nurses and doctors from Fullerton Healthcare, were also set up on land at Tanjong Pagar Terminal, where the floating accommodations were berthed.