Shipping Routes—an Eastern Maze

Extract

While a great many areas in the world which contain shipping focal points have been designated as routing areas, and in most cases very successfully organized to ensure a safe flow of vessels through them, one area remains outstanding without any attempt having been made to regulate or control the traffic. This is the stretch of waterway in the Malacca and Singapore Straits from One Fathom Bank, lying some 28 miles to the westward of Port Swettenham, to Remunia Shoals off the SE. corner of Malaysia, a route containing many navigational hazards ranging from shoal-water to periods of seriously reduced visibility, and being used by high density traffic including vessels of every type and size.