New Wildlife Trafficking Compendium Released for Singapore

Home to one of the world’s busiest transshipment hubs, Singapore is stepping up to shield its maritime sector from wildlife traffickers, with a targeted guide to help industry members spot and stop those exploiting shipping systems.

The Red Flag Indicators for Wildlife Trafficking in Containerised Sea Cargo: A Summary Compendium and Guidance for the Maritime Shipping Sector in Singapore makes Singapore the first in Asia to have tailored the 2021 global version of the guide to its needs.

Developed by the TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, WWF and the National Parks Board (NParks), with inputs from the World Shipping Council, the Singapore Compendium features country-specific case examples based on globally acknowledged red flag indicators to strengthen detection and action along the maritime supply chain.

The Compendium covers the country’s regulatory framework around transporting wildlife as well as the means and methods by which traffickers attempt to circumvent the system. It also carries recommendations, best practices, tools and reference materials.

Over the past decade, Singapore’s robust border controls and enforcement efforts have led to record-breaking seizures of wildlife contraband transhipped through its port and successful convictions of logistics players for their involvement in these activities.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) welcomed the launch, saying illegal wildlife trafficking is a serious transnational crime that threatens biodiversity, fuels organized criminal networks and undermines legitimate global trade. The World Shipping Council and its member companies are firmly opposed to the criminal abuse of maritime supply chains and have long supported effective, practical measures to prevent the movement of illegal wildlife and wildlife products by sea, including through public‑private collaboration, screening and reporting tools.

Joe Kramek, President and CEO of the World Shipping Council, said: “The maritime industry has a critical role to play, working together with government, organizations and shippers to prevent our global supply chains from being exploited by wildlife traffickers. This Singapore‑specific Red Flag Compendium is a valuable, practical resource that helps translate global guidance into action on the ground. WSC is proud to have supported its development and we commend Singapore’s zero‑tolerance approach and strong public‑private cooperation in tackling illegal wildlife trafficking.”