BA Chart 5502 Mariners' Routeing Guide Malacca and Singapore Strait

[Kennebec_Captain]

Singapore “Western A” (WA) Pilot Boarding Place.

Here’s the chart insert from chart BA 5502, Mariners’ Routing Guide Malacca and Singapore Straits

To use Pilot Boarding area WA from Eastbound lane ships turn into the area west of the wide separation zone then cross the westbound lane then stbd turn into the 1/4 mile wide lane with both “WA” and “WB” pilot boarding areas.

The printed caution there says “Heavy traffic crossing the westbound lane may be encountered”

Crossing there is like crossing a multi-lane freeway on foot, westbound ships often three or four abreast.

Pilot boarding places

Anchorages:

[Kennebec_Captain]

For Eastbound ships the planning chart coverage starts at One Fathom Bank, this is where the traffic separation scheme starts.

Eastbound traffic funnels into the traffic lanes, westbound ships spread out.

From One Fathom Bank to The Brothers it’s about 200 miles

Near the Brothers is where the captain would typically come to the bridge.

From the Brothers to the 90° turn to the North East is about 25 miles

After the turn there’s three lights to starboard Helen Mar, Buffalo Rock and Batu Berhanti

From Batu Berhanti to Horsburgh Light is 135 miles

Once past Eastern Bank it’s the South China Sea

[ombugge]

@Kennebec_Captain

From Two Fathom Bank to The Brothers

Shouldn’t that read “One Fathom Bank to the Brothers”?

PS> My Father-in-Law (RIP) run the “advisory service” from Horsburgh to One Fathom Bank v.v. for some years in the 1970s and early 1980s:
https://www.strasselink.com/serviceoffering.php

[Kennebec_Captain]

Yes, fixed. Some English the other names Malay?

[ombugge]

The One Fathom Bank Lighthouse, known in Malay as Rumah Api Permatang Sedepa

Some years ago (2020) two vessels collided off Batu Berhenti L/H:

Perairan Batu Berhenti Batam Makan Korban Lagi | Titikomapost

I remember that one ship managed to get on the wrong side of Batu Berhenti bouy and run aground. (Can’t remember details)
PS> They should have used the “advisory service” (Aka; Malacca Strait Pilot Service)

[Kennebec_Captain]

One Fathom, The Brothers and Buffalo Rock are all labeled on the chart in both English and presumably Malay.

[ombugge]

Bahsa Melayu is the national language in Malaysia and (with some differences) in Indonesia.
It is also one of 4 official languages in Singapore.

PS> There are some Portugese and Dutch names of features along the straits.
Most noticable is the disputed Pedro Branca island, which is now under Singapore juristiction, but claimed (in part) by Malaysia and Indonesia:

The Pedra Branca Dispute

[AKBJR]

My ship was discharging in Jeddah the day of the Aceh earthquake in 2004. I had already made my passage plan to Keelung and beyond. A few days later I was on edge during our Malacca Strait transit, which commenced on my midnight to four watch, with me hoping the bottom hadn’t risen during the quake. We got through unscathed (by the way the King’s Fountain in Jeddah is quite the sight - a column of water over 800’ tall!).

[ombugge]

🌊 PHILLIP CHANNEL — THE WORLD'S MOST NARROWLY WATCHED STRAIT ⚠️ This isn’t...