Business

IBIA: COVID-19 The human element

IBIA addresses issues arising when crew on bunker barges are predominantly foreign nationals and have no shore access or medical care due to COVID-19 measures.

Published

6 years ago

May 12, 2020

Admin

The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) on Wednesday (6 May) published an article highlighting the plight of crew on bunker barges who are facing difficulties with crew changes, access to health care and shore leave due to COVID-19 restrictions:

Measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has caused distressing problems for seafarers as crew changes have become fraught with difficulty and huge delays, essentially trapping crew onboard beyond the end of their contracted periods. The same has been happening to crew on bunker barges in some ports.

This upsetting news was heard during discussions with IBIA members at the end of April about COVID-19 impacts. The issues arise when the crew on bunker barges are predominantly foreign nationals. They will typically be on 1-3-month contracts before being relieved. Now, however, foreign nationals are being forced by some local authorities to stay on the barge beyond the end of their contracts. Travel restrictions means they can’t go home either.

Like on ships, it means some barge crew members have been trapped onboard for several months, and it is causing problems of morale. The maritime industry has faced difficulties not just in conducting crew changeovers, but also in providing medical care for sick and injured crew, and allowing for shore leave. The impact on their mental and physical welfare is a major concern.

The IMO has written to all its Member States, urging them to recognise all seafarers as “key workers” and remove any barriers to crew changes and repatriation so they can get home on conclusion of their contracts.

It may be necessary to extend some crew members’ time onboard to reduce infection risk, but it is important to ensure they have support. Crew welfare is primarily the responsibility of employers, but there are, sadly, many instances where that falls short. In the current climate, however, limitations on movement have caused problems outside vessel owners’ control.

Several organisations, both global and more local ones, work to support seafarers’ welfare at all times. Some have launched special COVID-19 relief campaigns.

One such organisation is the Mission to Seafarers, which has also just published a report giving insight into the toll the global COVID-19 pandemic is taking on seafarers.

IBIA’s Director, Unni Einemo, has supported fundraising efforts for the Mission to Seafarers (MtS) in the past two years by joining an IMO team for the Nightrider, a 100 km bike ride through London at night. This year’s Nightrider has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but MtS has created a ‘Global Champions Unite’ challenge to raise funds for their new on-line welfare service. You can donate or become a fundraiser by setting yourself a fitness challenge on this link.

Other global organisations supporting seafarers’ welfare include Sailors’ Society, Apostleship of the Sea and the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN).

The coronavirus has impacted us all and will continue to do so in various ways, but the plight of crew stuck onboard vessels for extended periods is unique. IBIA encourages you all to support them if you can. That could be through a global organisation like those mentioned above, through local or regional organisations, or in other ways available to you as an employer or shore-based contact for those working onboard vessels.

Photo credit and source: IBIA
Published: 12 May, 2020

Business

Singapore: Notice of intended dividend issued for Parakou Shipping Pte Ltd

Creditors of the company will have to submit proof of debt to the liquidators of Parakou Shipping by 17 June, according to Government Gazette notice.

Published

2 days ago

June 5, 2026

Admin

A notice to declare the intended dividend of Parakou Shipping Pte Ltd to its creditors has been posted on the Government Gazette on Wednesday (3 June).

The following are the details of the notice of intended dividend:

Name of Company : Parakou Shipping Pte Ltd (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Address of Registered Office : c/o KordaMentha, 50 Raffles Place, 25-01 Singapore Land Tower, Singapore 048623
Last Day of Receiving Proofs (if not already lodged): 17 June 2026
Name of Liquidator : Cameron Duncan
Address : c/o KordaMentha Pte Ltd, 50 Raffles Place, #25-01 Singapore Land Tower, Singapore 048623

Photo credit: steve pb from Pixabay
Published: 5 June, 2026

LNG Bunkering

Chinese firms form pact for 20,000 cbm LNG bunkering vessel project

CM Energy Tech, Seacon Shipping Group and China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) signed a joint venture agreement for 1+1 20,000 cubic meter LNG bunkering vessels.

Published

2 days ago

June 5, 2026

Admin

CM Energy Tech Co Ltd, Seacon Shipping Group Holdings Limited and China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Co Ltd on Tuesday (26 May) signed a joint venture agreement for the construction of 1+1 20,000 cubic meter liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessels.

The parties also signed a shipbuilding contract for the first vessel, which will be constructed by China Merchants Heavy Industry.

The project combines CM Energy Tech’s access to the China Merchants Group ecosystem, Seacon Shipping Group’s expertise in ship management and operations, and China Merchants Heavy Industry’s shipbuilding capabilities. The partners said the initiative is intended to address the shortage of large-capacity LNG bunkering vessels in the Chinese market.

The newbuild LNG bunkering vessel will feature dual C-type independent cargo tanks and is designed with a boil-off rate of just 0.16% per day. It will also be capable of delivering LNG at a bunkering rate of up to 2,000 cbm per hour, enabling efficient refuelling of large LNG-fuelled vessels.

The vessel will be powered by Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines and will comply with IMO Tier III emissions requirements. The first vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2028.

The three companies said they plan to further expand cooperation across the LNG value chain, strengthen their presence in the marine energy sector and provide customers with integrated LNG bunkering services focused on safety, operational efficiency and lower carbon emissions.

Photo credit: David Yu from Pixabay
Published: 5 June, 2026

Methanol

India’s Agastya inks green methanol offtake agreement with SAR Group

Agastya Green Fuels and SAR Group will work together to enable green methanol storage, bunkering, and marine fuel infrastructure across Sri Lanka.

Published

2 days ago

June 5, 2026

Admin

India’s clean energy conglomerate Agastya Group on Wednesday (3 June) said Agastya Green Fuels signed a long-term green methanol offtake agreement with Sri Lankan bunker supplier SAR Maritime Agencies, a SAR Group company, for the supply of 250,000 metric tonnes (mt) per annum of EU RFNBO RED III Compliant green methanol.

Agastya said the agreement establishes one of the largest green methanol supply partnerships in the Indian Ocean Region and marked a major step toward creating a new green maritime energy corridor connecting India and Sri Lanka.

The green methanol will be supplied from the Agastya Green Fuels Hub at Mulapeta Port, Andhra Pradesh, India, where Agastya is developing a green methanol export-oriented facility with a planned investment of USD 6 billion over the next six years. The facility is expected to produce 1 million mt per annum.

“Through this partnership, Agastya Green Fuels and SAR Group will work together to enable green methanol storage, bunkering, and marine fuel infrastructure across Sri Lanka, positioning Colombo, Hambantota, and Trincomalee as future clean-fuel hubs for global shipping,” the company said in a social media post.

“The Indian Ocean is emerging as the world’s next green fuel corridor. Agastya Green Fuels intends to be at its center,” said Shashi K Reddy Arjula, Founder and Group CEO of Agastya.

Photo credit: CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
Published: 5 June, 2026