COVID-19: Singapore to send regular shipments of emergency oxygen supplies to Indonesia
An ISO tank containing 20 tonnes of liquid oxygen waiting to be loaded. (Photo credit: Smart-Gas)
SINGAPORE: Singapore will send regular shipments of emergency oxygen supplies to Indonesia to aid the country’s fight against the current surge of COVID-19, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Monday (Jul 19).
This arrangement, known as the “Oxygen Shuttle” programme, is at Indonesia’s request and will supplement the urgent need for oxygen in medical facilities there, added MFA.
MFA said that more than 500 tonnes of oxygen will be shipped to Indonesia from now until August.
Four ISO tanks containing 80 tonnes of liquid oxygen had arrived at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta on Monday.
Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Teo Chee Hean said the shipments under the programme will be done on a weekly basis over the next month.
“Eighty tonnes of liquid oxygen can fill about 10,000 cylinders with oxygen gas. The next shipment will arrive next week. We aim to send more than 500 tonnes of liquid O2 in total,” he said in a Facebook post.
Mr Teo also added that he has been in touch with Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investments Luhut Pandjaitan.
“We will do our utmost to ride out this tough time together with Indonesia,” he said.
The “Oxygen Shuttle” programme is in addition to assistance from the Singapore Government to Indonesia in the form of oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, ventilators, as well as other medical supplies and equipment, sent in earlier batches on Jul 9 and Jul 11.
The programme is coordinated by MFA, with support from the Ministry of Defence, and the Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre.
“These efforts, as well as the contributions organised by non-government and private entities, attest to the close relationship, solidarity, and strong mutual support between Singapore and Indonesia in overcoming the shared challenges of COVID-19,” said MFA.
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