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MPA cautions Singapore-registered ships while operating off Coast of West Africa

MPA strongly recommends the ships to take necessary precautions to ensure safety and security when operating in the region following piracy and hijacking incidents.

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The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Wednesday (3 August) issued Shipping Circular No 9 of 2023 which outlines its precautions to Singapore-registered shipowners, managers and masters on ongoing security concerns for ships operating off the coast of West Africa, including the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) due to piracy and hijacking incidents: 

ADVISORY FOR SINGAPORE-REGISTERED SHIPS OPERATING OFF THE COAST OF WEST AFRICA INCLUDING THE GULF OF GUINEA

This shipping circular supersedes Shipping Circular No. 6 of 2018.

There have been ongoing security concerns for ships operating off the coast of West Africa, including the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) due to piracy and hijacking incidents. While piracy attacks typically occur within 200 nautical miles from the Coast, two recent pirate attacks in November 2022 and April 2023 respectively were found to have occurred more than 200 nautical miles from the coast of Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Piracy thus continues to pose a threat and the modus operandi are constantly evolving.

To counter this threat, MPA strongly recommends that Singapore-registered ships take the necessary precautions to ensure their safety and security when operating in the region:

  • maintain vigilance and proper lookout, taking into account the evolving trends and the perpetrators’ modus operandi;
  • review their Ship Security Assessment and Ship Security Plan including regular planned testing of Ship Security Alert System and security drills;
  • register with the Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) when entering and transiting the voluntary reporting area as per the UKHO chart Q6114 and SHOM chart 8801CSD. The MDAT-GoG can be contacted by phone at +33 2 9822 8888 or by email to [email protected]  or via website https://gog- mdat.org/home ;
  • report all pirate and hijacking activities promptly, including both actual and attempted attacks, as well as suspicious sightings, to the Singapore Registry of Ships 24/7 hotline at +65 6225 5777 and email [email protected], local authorities and the MDAT-GoG;
  • implement the guidelines contained in the Best Management Practices West Africa , published by industry organisations and supported by government and military organisations to help mariners detect, deter and delay external threats, when operating in the region.

Any queries relating to this circular should be directed to the Singapore Ship Registry at [email protected].

Manifold Times previously reported MPA confirming Singaporean-registered oil tanker Success 9 was boarded by pirates on 10 April.

The tanker was boarded by unidentified persons at about 300 nautical miles off the Abidjan Coast, Cote d’lvoire at about 10 pm (Singapore time).

Later, Manifold Times reported Success 9 was located off the coast of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and all crew members including a Singaporean crew were safe and in good health.

Related: Breaking: Singapore-registered oil tanker “Success 9” located, crew safe
Related: MPA: Owner of tanker “Success 9” still unable to establish communications with vessel
Related: Pirates board Singapore-registered tanker “Success 9”, Singaporean on board
Related: Pirates board Monjasa oil tanker “Monjasa Reformer” in Gulf of Guinea
Related: Pirates abandon “Monjasa Reformer”, portion of crew returns to safety
Related: Kidnapped crew of oil tanker “Monjasa Reformer” recovered safely
Related: IFC Shipping Advisory: Sea theft incident along Westbound Lane TSS, Singapore Strait
Related: SMW 2023: Discussion held on emerging trends of piracy and sea robbery in Asia
Related: IMB records lowest level of Q1 piracy since 1993 in 2023 report
Related: IFC publishes key observations from sea robbery incident reports

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 3 August, 2023

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Business

Oilmar appoints Shawn Ho to senior bunker trading role in Singapore

Ho has been appointed as the Senior Manager, Business Development and Bunker Trading in Oilmar’s Trading Department.

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Oilmar appoints Shawn Ho to senior bunker trading role in Singapore

UAE-based marine fuel and petroleum products trader Oilmar on Monday (13 July) announced the appointment of Shawn Ho as Senior Manager, Business Development and Bunker Trading in its Trading Department in Singapore.

Ho has more than 15 years of experience in the petroleum industry, including 11 years at Toyota Tsusho Petroleum and four years at Adani Global. His experience covers bunker trading, operations, market analysis and risk management.

“His extensive expertise in commercial trading, strategic negotiations, and developing strong partnerships with suppliers and customers makes him a valuable addition to our team,” the company said in a social media post. 

“As Oilmar continues to expand its global presence and strengthen its position in the marine fuels market, Shawn’s experience, industry insight, and commercial leadership will play an important role in driving our continued growth and delivering value to our customers.”

 

Photo credit: Oilmar
Published: 14 July, 2026

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Business

Seascale Energy hires Soo Yong Koo as Business Development Director in Singapore

In her new role, Koo will focus on supporting customer growth, strengthening commercial partnerships, and helping customers navigate an increasingly complex marine fuels landscape.

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Seascale Energy hires Soo Yong Koo as Business Development Director in Singapore

Seascale Energy, a bunker procurement joint venture of Cargill’s Pure Marine Fuels and Hafnia’s Bunker Alliance, on Friday (10 July) announced the appointment of Soo Yong Koo as the Business Development Director of the company. 

Based at Seascale Energy’s Singapore hub, Koo has more than 25 years of experience in the maritime and energy trading sectors, with expertise in marine fuels, commercial management, business development and customer relations.

She has held senior commercial roles at Trafigura, Mabanaft and BP, with experience spanning physical bunker operations and global sales.

Koo is an active contributor to the marine fuels industry, having served as a Board Member of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA), Asia, a member of the Working Group for Marine Fuels under the Singapore Chemical Industry Council (SCIC), and as a member of the Singapore Shipping Association’s (SSA) Marine Fuels Committee.

In her new role, Koo will focus on supporting customer growth, strengthening commercial partnerships, and helping customers navigate an increasingly complex marine fuels landscape. 

The company added that her experience across both conventional and emerging marine fuels aligns closely with Seascale Energy’s ambition to deliver transparent, scalable, and future-ready fuel procurement solutions.

“Soo Yong is highly respected in marine fuels, with 25 years of commercial and operational experience and a strong industry footprint across the IBIA, SCIC and SSA. Her appointment reflects our commitment to strengthening how we serve customers in Asia and beyond as the fuels landscape continues to evolve,” said Peter Grünwaldt and Olivier Josse, Co-CEOs, Seascale Energy.

 

Photo credit: Seascale Energy
Published: 14 July, 2026

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Alternative Fuels

Port of Santos hosts Brazil’s first bioethanol bunkering of deep-sea containership

Copersucar, CMA CGM Group, AGEO Terminais, Santos Brasil and Bunker One completed a bioethanol bunkering operation for “CMA CGM IRON”, the first 13,000 TEU tri-fuel certified engine containership.

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Port of Santos hosts Brazil's first bioethanol bunkering of deep-sea containership

Sugar and bioethanol trading company Copersucar on Monday (13 July) said the company and its partners successfully completed a bioethanol bunkering operation for the CMA CGM IRON, the first 13,000 TEU tri-fuel certified engine containership, at the Port of Santos on 12 July.

The partners are CMA CGM Group, AGEO Terminais, the largest liquid bulk storage operator at the Port of Santos; Santos Brasil, the biggest container terminal in Brazil; and Bunker Holding subsidiary Bunker One. 

Copersucar said the operation represents a major milestone for the decarbonisation of maritime transport, positions Brazil among the countries capable of carrying out this type of bunkering operation, and reinforces bioethanol as a readily available solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping sector.

The bioethanol supplied by Copersucar benefits from a certified supply chain. Sugarcane expansion takes place mainly on degraded pastureland, while Brazil’s RenovaBio program establishes stringent sustainability and zero-deforestation requirements.

The bunkering required logistical and operational coordination among multiple stakeholders across the value chain, involving the transport of bioethanol to the Port of Santos, its storage in dedicated infrastructure, and its transfer to the vessel via a specialized barge.

“The operation provides practical evidence that bioethanol offers the attributes needed to accelerate the decarbonisation of maritime transport,” the company said. 

Beyond this first demonstration, the Port of Santos and Santos Brasil container terminal are positioning themselves and Brazil as a future low-carbon marine fuels hub for South America. As the continent’s largest port and a major gateway for global trade, Santos has the potential to connect Brazil’s renewable energy resources with international shipping demand. 

The CMA CGM IRON, delivered in 2025, is the Group’s first vessel in a series of twelve 13,000 TEU containerships, equipped with the world’s first tri-fuel engine certified to operate on bioethanol: Everllence-B&W G95ME-C10.5-LGIM.

“Together with our partners, we have shown that innovation can move from the laboratory to real maritime operations. The certification of our first tri-fuel vessel is a major technological milestone for CMA CGM. It opens the way for the broader use of lower-carbon fuels and gives us new options to accelerate the decarbonisation of our shipping activities” said Christine Cabau Woehrel, Executive Vice President Assets & Operations, CMA CGM.

“This operation demonstrates Copersucar’s ability to connect production, logistics and markets to enable bioenergy solutions at scale. More than a pioneering bunkering operation, we are creating the conditions for bioethanol to become a competitive component of the maritime energy mix, further strengthening Brazil’s leadership in the transition to a low-carbon economy,” said Tomás Manzano, CEO of Copersucar.

“This operation can be considered a milestone in the global maritime industry’s energy transition, as the sector begins to adapt to this new model. Today, Around 70 vessels of the global fleet are capable of operating on methanol and, consequently, with bioethanol. Over the next few years, however, an additional 400 vessels are expected to be delivered from shipyards ready to sail using a non-fossil fuel,” said Flavio Ribeiro, CEO of Bunker One.

 

Photo credit: Copersucar
Published: 14 July, 2026

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