Singapore will not pursue negotiations for safe passage of vessels through the strait of Hormuz, as such talks would compromise key principles of international law, minister for foreign affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said.
"The position is quite clear — there is a right of transit passage," Balakrishnan said at a parliamentary sitting on 7 April. "It is not a privilege granted by the bordering state, it is not a license to be supplicated for, it is not a toll to be paid."
"This right is enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," he said. "I cannot engage in negotiations for safe passage of ships or negotiate on toll rates because to do so would be implicitly eroding this legal principle."
"There is no exception for security, no exception for the environment, and there is no exception for war," he added.
Shortly after the parliamentary session, the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire to allow negotiations toward a broader de-escalation framework. But the terms governing vessel transit — including any inspection regime or conditions imposed by Iran — remain unclear.
Singapore's stance on the matter marks a deviation from other southeast Asian nations that have actively sought to form agreements with Iran for the safe passage of their vessels through the strait of Hormuz. Thailand secured a deal earlier last week that will permit more Thai oil tankers to pass through the strait, Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul said. Malaysia reached a similar agreement with the Iranian president on 26 March, with Malaysia's prime minister Anwar Ibrahim announcing arrangements to ensure the safe passage of Malaysian vessels.
Balakrishnan also highlighted that while the narrowest point in the strait of Hormuz is 21 nautical miles (39km), the narrowest point of the strait of Malacca is less than two nautical miles (3.7km).
Providing an update on Singapore's efforts on the matter, Balakrishnan said authorities were closely tracking developments and maintaining regular contact with the shipowners and operators.
"We have been closely monitoring the situation in the strait of Hormuz," he said, adding that the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore remains in close contact with shipowners and operators of Singapore-flagged or Singapore-registered ships in the Persian Gulf. "At both the international and regional levels, our agencies are engaging with stakeholders to explore potential opportunities to facilitate safe transit of the ships."
