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NDP 2020: Republic of Singapore Navy to headline sail-past, a first at parade since 2000

SINGAPORE — For the first time in 20 years, a maritime sail-past will be part of the National Day Parade (NDP) on Aug 9.

(Top) The endurance-class landing ship tank from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) leading the main column of the maritime sail-past at a rehearsal for the National Day Parade on July 29, 2020. (Bottom, from left) Singapore Civil Defence Force servicemen on board the heavy rescue vessel; Police Coast Guard servicemen on board the PH-class coastal patrol craft; and RSN servicemen on board the landing ship tank.

(Top) The endurance-class landing ship tank from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) leading the main column of the maritime sail-past at a rehearsal for the National Day Parade on July 29, 2020. (Bottom, from left) Singapore Civil Defence Force servicemen on board the heavy rescue vessel; Police Coast Guard servicemen on board the PH-class coastal patrol craft; and RSN servicemen on board the landing ship tank.

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  • First sail-past event in 20 years to show solidarity among agencies that secure Singapore waters
  • New vessels will also be introduced during this event at the National Day Parade
  • It will last 25 minutes but three minutes will be telecast live


SINGAPORE — For the first time in 20 years, a maritime sail-past will be part of the National Day Parade (NDP) on Aug 9. 

The sail-past will comprise 13 vessels from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), the Police Coast Guard, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) as a show of solidarity among the public agencies that protect and monitor the nation’s sea lines. 

Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Goh Tan from the Commander Task Group with RSN said at a media briefing on Monday (Aug 3) that maritime agencies carry out nonstop work even during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

"It's a good time to let Singaporeans know what government agencies are doing behind the scenes, to ensure that our supply lines remain open," he said.

The sail-past is scheduled to start at around 10.50am on National Day along Marina South Pier and will head in a northeastern direction in the waters surrounding the Marina Barrage. This will last for 25 minutes and three minutes of this event will be telecast live. 

All vessels will sound their horns for 15 seconds towards the end of the sail-past as an expression of maritime unity and as a call for Singaporeans to stand in solidarity. 

The SCDF's rapid response fire vessel. Photo: Ili Nadhirah Mansor/TODAY

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, this year's NDP will be broadcast live on television and on the internet, with a morning segment at the Padang and an evening performance at The Star Performing Arts Centre in Buona Vista. 

The first segment will begin at 10am this Sunday with a broadcast of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day message, followed by the parade at the Padang. At around 10.30am, the public warning system will sound a 20-second siren and the state flag will be raised concurrently across different locations in Singapore.

During the sail-past, there will be two parallel columns of vessels — a main column comprising nine ships and a “speedster” column with four. 

The Police Coast Guard’s PT-class patrol interdiction boat (front) and the RSN's endurance-class landing ship tank. Photo: Ili Nadhirah Mansor/TODAY

LTC Goh said that the addition of new vessels to the RSN also contributed to the decision to have a sail-past this year and these new vessels will be featured in the two columns. 

In the main column are the RSS Steadfast, formidable-class frigate and the RSS Fearless, independence-class littoral mission vessel — which are second and fourth in the line-up respectively.

The specialised marine craft, which supports maritime security operations in the Singapore Straits, is the new vessel on the “speedster” column, and it will front the line-up of four vessels. 

The RSN's combatant craft medium. Photo: Ili Nadhirah Mansor/TODAY

For those looking to get the best view of the sail-past, some vantage points include Marina Barrage and the rooftop of Marina South Pier. 

However, LTC Goh emphasised that this year's parade is "designed" to be watched at home.

In the morning segment, there will be a fighter aircraft fly-past and the state flag fly-past that will go over the heartlands, but the sail-past does not have the option to do so. 

"You always see more features of the other parts of NDP, where the navy is slightly lacking… we operate in the sea, which is away from heartland areas and away from land," LTC Goh said. 

The RSN's victory-class missile corvette. Photo: Ili Nadhirah Mansor/TODAY

In order to make this sail-past possible, waterways at the Marina South Pier had to be cleared to ensure that the ships taking part in the parade would be able to pass through safely. 

"It is a very busy waterway, so we worked very closely with MPA to restrict some of these waterways to facilitate safe entry and departure of the ships," LTC Goh said.

"We also used the navy simulator to do a series of tabletop exercises to familiarise ourselves with the operations and to run through contingency plans." 

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NDP2020 Marina South Pier Marina Barrage sail-past Republic of Singapore Navy

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