Stomper says ferry service flouted safety guidelines at at Marina South Pier, they question her feedback
A visitor grew concerned when she noticed a crowd of people at Marina South Pier on July 13.
Stomper Y said she was waiting to board a ferry from Marina South Ferries at around 11.53am and saw a line of people purportedly waiting for a Singapore Island Cruise ferry.
"I observed severe overcrowding at the pier. The pontoon was packed beyond safe capacity, with no staff managing the crowd," Y recounted, who shared a photo and a video of the scene.
"Passengers were stranded and left waiting on the pontoon, which is a no-waiting zone. I don't know if this is legal, but it is clearly unsafe."
In response to a Stomp query, a Singapore Island Cruise spokesman said: "We take all safety-related feedback seriously, as the safety and well-being of our passengers and the public is - and always will be - our highest priority.
"We are aware of the feedback and would like to clarify that our operations are aligned with the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) safety guidelines.
"Crowd control measures are typically in place, and we are reviewing the matter internally to ensure that safety protocols are consistently upheld and strengthened where necessary."
Stomp understands that CCTV footage confirmed there was no overcrowding and passengers boarded the ferry promptly.
The spokesman added: "It is important to note that we believe the individual who submitted this report was recently involved in MPA's commercial tender for office units at Marina South Pier but did not manage to secure an office unit. Therefore, this may have led to some dissatisfaction, particularly as they are currently not authorised to sell ferry tickets on-site.
"While we value feedback from all sources, we remain mindful of the broader context surrounding such submissions.
"That said, our commitment to passenger safety remains unwavering. We continuously monitor and improve our procedures to ensure that all individuals at Marina South Pier are protected in accordance with the highest safety standards."
However, Y refuted the accusation and said: "I am not involved in anything."
She told Stomp on July 23: "They said 'crowd control measures are typically in place' but I don't think this was the case from what I saw that day."
