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MPA sets record straight on ‘inaccurate claim’ by ITF on “Yangtze Harmony” crew

MPA said ITF has made an inaccurate claim that “Singapore may have contravened the MLC” in its handling of a case involving 13 Filipino seafarers on board arrested Liberian-flagged livestock carrier.

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The Maritime and Port Authority on Friday (21 April) released a statement in response to a International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) media release on the plight of crew on board livestock carrier “Yangtze Harmony”: 

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has made an inaccurate claim that “Singapore may have contravened the MLC” in its release “ITF secures freedom for 13 abandoned Filipino seafarers stuck in Singapore for 5 months; $1m in backpay won for crews” dated 17 Apr 2023.

The Liberia-flagged livestock carrier, YANGTZE HARMONY, has been under arrest in Singapore as executed by the Sheriff's Office, Supreme Court since 25 October 2022 pursuant to an application by Posh Projects Pte Ltd to secure its claim for unpaid sums due and owing under a towage contract for the towage of the vessel from Brisbane, Australia to Singapore. The Supreme Court granted a judicial sale of the vessel on 18 January 2023 and the bidding and sale process is underway.

Under Standard A.2.5.1 - Repatriation of the Maritime Labour Convention1, the vessel’s Flag State, which in this case is Liberia, is obliged to make arrangements to repatriate seafarers who are entitled to repatriation, should the shipowner fail to make such arrangements or meet the cost of repatriation. In the event the Flag State fails to repatriate the seafarers, either the Port State, which is the country from which the seafarers are to be repatriated, or the seafarers’ home State(s), may repatriate the seafarers and recover the cost of repatriation from the Flag State. Liberia has been fulfilling its role and obligations as the Flag State for YANGTZE HARMONY throughout this period when the vessel is under arrest, and hence, there was no requirement by Singapore as Port State to assume the obligations to repatriate the crew.

Notwithstanding, as the Port State, MPA kept in close contact throughout this period with Liberia, the Sheriff’s Office and its appointed agent to monitor and facilitate the repatriation plan and ensured that the seafarers’ well-being was taken care of while they were onboard the vessel, the granting of shore leave and the access to medical facilities if required.

There were no restrictions by Sheriff’s Office on the repatriation and the grant of shore leave for all the thirteen seafarers onboard. During this period, three seafarers were granted leave by the Sheriff’s Office to seek medical attention on shore on 16 December 2022. In January 2023, three seafarers were repatriated. On 27 February 2023, the Sheriff’s Office obtained from the Liberian Ship Registry’s dispensation for the minimum manning of the vessel to be reduced from thirteen to nine crew members, which would allow four more seafarers to be repatriated. However, MPA understands the Master and all remaining crew decided then to stay onboard the vessel until the settlement of the outstanding wages owed to them.

In April 2023, all thirteen seafarers who remained onboard had received their outstanding wages for the period from November 2022 to April 2023. The outstanding wages were paid by YANGTZE HARMONY’s Protection & Indemnity(P&I) Insurance club under the financial security insurance in place in respect of the vessel and the arresting party. The remaining outstanding wages in excess of that which the vessel’s P&I Club is legally required to cover were paid by the arresting party and will be recovered by the arresting party from the proceeds of the judicial sale of the vessel. All thirteen seafarers have since been repatriated.

As the Port State, Singapore worked closely with the Flag State and the ship agents to ensure that the seafarers were repatriated and were given the necessary support.

Related: Singapore: Glander International Bunkering arrests “Yangtze Harmony” over partially paid bunker fuel invoice
Related: “Yangtze Harmony” bunker claims pile up with Peninsula Petroleum seeking repayment of USD 206,000 debt

 

Photo credit: Marine Traffic / Sergei Skriabin
Published: 24 April, 2023

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VPS introduces new General Manager for Middle East and Africa

Dirk de Bruyn brings experience from Rio Tinto, Shell and recently TotalEnergies, and a range of local, regional and global oil, gas and energy roles across four continents.

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Dirk de Bruyn, General Manager for Middle East and Africa, VPS

Maritime decarbonisation advisory services company VPS on Monday (11 November) announced the appointment of Dirk de Bruyn as the company’s new General Manager for Middle East and Africa.

In this role, Dirk will advance VPS’s business within the region with both new and existing key clients. He will be critical to the growth of both the traditional businesses of marine fuels testing and advisory as well as playing a key role of decarbonisation of the maritime industry.

With experience gained at Rio Tinto, Shell and recently TotalEnergies, and a range of local, regional and global roles across four continents in international oil, gas and energy, Dirk brings extensive experience and knowledge in the energy transition space.

Using his extensive knowledge gained in bunker fuel and lubricants, both from a supplier and end-users’ perspective, Dirk previously led a global team focused on energy transition and decarbonisation.

“The maritime industry is changing quickly with ambitious emissions targets and decarbonisation requirements driving the introduction of new technologies and fuels into the market,” said Dr. Malcolm Cooper, CEO of VPS.

“In this dynamic landscape, we are very pleased to have Dirk on board to help VPS customers optimise their operations by understanding which new fuels to use and how to adapt to these sustainable business drivers and meet new regulations.

Dirk noted: “Whilst the industry is rightfully focussed on the path towards Net Zero, we must ensure we do not take our eye off the ball on the operational risks posed by traditional fuels.”

“Energy Transition and the path towards Net Zero is an evolving landscape. With the change in fuel types and the introduction of future fuels, it is important to provide advice and guidance to our customers whilst taking into consideration the differences in legislations.

“VPS leads the way with their technology in biofuels as well as methanol testing which is a key component to reducing our clients emissions and helping them in their journey towards Net Zero. I am excited to be part of this journey with VPS’ with an industry who is focussed on fuel transition.

“With over forty years of knowledge and experience in the marine industry, and a wide range of advanced Digital Decarbonisation platforms such as PortStats, Maress, BOND and Emsys, I have found that our team is filled with experience and determination and I look forward to adding mine into the mix.”

 

Photo credit: VPS
Published: 13 November 2024

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Bunker fuel trading firm Shipergy achieves International Sustainability and Carbon Certification

ISCC certification assures Shipergy’s marine fuel offerings meet sustainability, GHG reduction, and traceability standards – aligning with upcoming FuelEU Maritime.

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London-based provider of marine fuel solutions Shipergy on Monday (11 November) said it has achieved International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC).

The ISCC certification provides assurance that Shipergy’s fuel offerings meet rigorous sustainability, greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, and traceability standards – aligning with the EU’s upcoming FuelEU Maritime regulation effective 1 January 2025.

This regulation mandates progressive reductions in GHG intensity across all energy sources used by ships within EU waters. By achieving ISCC certification, Shipergy is now positioned to help its customers meet these regulatory standards while supporting the broader decarbonisation of the maritime sector.

“Achieving ISCC certification is a testament to Shipergy’s dedication to advancing sustainable practices in the maritime industry,” said Daniel Rose, CEO of Shipergy.

“With FuelEU Maritime on the horizon, we are proud to offer our customers a reliable source of certified sustainable fuels, enabling them to navigate the changing regulatory landscape confidently and responsibly.”

Related: Marine fuel trading firm Shipergy secures USD 15 million credit facility with DNB Bank
RelatedShipergy to set up new Singapore regional hub in major recruitment drive
RelatedSignal Group launches tech enabled bunker procurement company Shipergy
RelatedShipergy reports more than 60 bunker procurement transactions since launch
RelatedShipergy to leverage OpenAI’s ChatGPT in AI-powered, bunker fuel market report

 

Photo credit: Shipergy
Published: 13 November 2024

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Yinson GreenTech and Zeabuz to develop autonomous, remote-controlled electric marine vessels

Collaboration aims to integrate Zeabuz’s hardware and proprietary software algorithms into Yinson GreenTech’s marinEV fleet of electric vessels.

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Yinson GreenTech and Zeabuz to develop autonomous, remote-controlled electric marine vessels

Yinson GreenTech and autonomous maritime technology company Zeabuz have signed a Letter of Intent to integrate autonomous and remote-control capabilities into Yinson GreenTech's fleet of marine electric vessels.

This collaboration was formalised at the Singapore Norway Innovation Conference on 6 November. It marked a significant step towards decarbonising Singapore's maritime industry by combining the power of electrification and autonomous maritime operations.

The collaboration aims to deliver more efficient marine solutions by integrating Zeabuz's hardware and proprietary software algorithms into Yinson GreenTech's marinEV fleet of electric vessels.

Critically, by combining autonomous driving technology with electric marine vessels, this collaboration will address the maritime industry's long-term manpower challenges. It will reduce the number of crew members required onboard, making maritime operations more efficient.

Additionally, it will enhance the attractiveness of maritime jobs by introducing new, knowledge-based skillsets like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and remote operations. This aligns with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) Industry Transformation Map, particularly its focus on digitalisation.

“To fulfil Yinson GreenTech's broader vision of building a net-zero world, marinEV believes in harnessing the power of sustainable innovation through strategic partnerships," said Jan-Viggo Johansen, Managing Director of marinEV.

“Our collaboration with Zeabuz marks a significant step towards accelerating the adoption of autonomous solutions, which will not only enhance the safety and efficiency of maritime operations but also significantly reduce our environmental impact on waterways.”

“By combining the power of electrification, onboard autonomy, and remote supervisory control, we are laying a strong foundation for the future of sustainable maritime operations,” said Øyvind Smogeli, CEO and Co-Founder of Zeabuz.

“We are excited to deepen our collaboration with Yinson GreenTech to build a future of sustainable, technology-driven marine transport.”

 

Photo credit: Yinson GreenTech
Published: 12 November 2024

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