Business

MPA, SMOU and SOS extend financial support for Singaporean seafarers by three months

Singaporean seafarers who are unable to secure shipboard employment between 1 May 2020 and 31 December 2020 are eligible for the SRP, said the MPA.

Published

6 years ago

October 16, 2020

Admin

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Friday (9 October) in a joint statement with the Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU) and the Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS) said they have extended financial support for Singaporean seafarers under the Seafarers Relief Package (SRP) by another three months, i.e. from a cap of three months (up to $2400) to six months (up to $4800).

Singaporean seafarers who are unable to secure shipboard employment between 1 May 2020 and 31 December 2020 are eligible for the SRP, said the MPA. Previously, the eligibility period for the SRP covered 1 May 2020 to 31 July 2020.

MPA noted that Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited the Wavelink Maritime Institute to observe a training session for Tripartite Nautical Training Award (TNTA) and Tripartite Engineering Training Award (TETA) cadets.

Cadet trainees under the TNTA and TETA place-and-train programmes, together with other qualifying seafarers, have benefitted from the SRP as their shipboard attachments or employment were affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Seafarers play a vital role in enabling global seaborne trade, and keeping the supply of critical goods flowing. To enhance our safety net for Singaporean seafarers, we will extend the Seafarers Relief Package to provide more help to those whose jobs are affected by COVID-19. We will also support seafarers to go for training and to upgrade their skills,” said Senior Minister Chee.

“Despite the unprecedented challenges brought about by the pandemic, seafarers continue to play an essential role in keeping the global supply chain moving. While tripartite partners continue to accelerate efforts to facilitate crew change at the Singapore port, we also want to continue to offer assistance to our Singaporean seafarers who have been affected and are unable to sign on ships during this challenging time,” said Mary Liew, General Secretary, SMOU.

“SOS strongly supports the extension of SRP amidst the ongoing challenges faced by Singaporean seafarers and their dependents. We understand their concerns and we want to be there for them as much as we can during this difficult phase of their seafaring career,” said Kam Soon Huat, President, SOS.

MPA explained that the SRP is part of the MaritimeSG Together Package, which was introduced in April 2020 to provide support to the maritime industry in the wake of the global COVID-19 outbreak.

More details on the package are available in the Annex.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 16 October, 2020

Winding up

Singapore: Notice of intended dividend issued for Xihe Holdings’ subsidiaries

Creditors will need to produce proofs of debt to liquidators of Da Xin Tankers and Nan Chiau Maritime by 5 August, according to Government Gazette notice.

Published

11 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

Two notices to declare the intended dividend of Xihe Holdings’ subsidiaries to their creditors have been posted on the Government Gazette on Wednesday (22 July).

The subsidiaries are Da Xin Tankers Pte Ltd and Nan Chiau Maritime Pte Ltd.

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

Name of Company : Da Xin Tankers (Pte) Ltd (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No. : 198400895W
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 5 August 2026 at 5:00 pm by email to [email protected]
Name of Liquidators : Paresh Tribhovan Jotangia and Ho May Kee
Address : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960

Name of Company : Nan Chiau Maritime (Pte.) Ltd. (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No.: 200814296Z
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 5 August 2026 at 5:00 pm by email to [email protected]
Name of Liquidators : Paresh Tribhovan Jotangia and Ho May Kee
Address : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960

Photo credit: steve pb from Pixabay
Published: 23 July, 2026

Biofuel

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

Company says it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply.

Published

11 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

South Korean petroleum and refining company S-Oil on Wednesday (22 July) said it has started supplying B30 very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), as the company seeks to support shipping’s decarbonisation efforts and growing demand for lower-carbon bunker fuels.

The company said its B30 VLSFO contains 30% sustainable biofuel blended with conventional VLSFO and can be used without requiring modifications to existing vessels, enabling shipowners to comply more readily with emissions regulations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU).

S-Oil said it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply. The system combines VLSFO produced at its Onsan refinery with biofuel production facilities and storage infrastructure in the Ulsan region, allowing the entire process to be carried out within a single logistics hub.

According to the company, the integrated supply chain reduces transportation requirements during production while improving supply efficiency and reliability.

S-Oil also highlighted Ulsan Port as a strategic location for marine biofuel supply, noting the port has strong demand for bio-bunker fuels, particularly from car carriers, enabling prompt and stable deliveries to key customers.

An S-Oil official stated: “In the bio-marine fuel market, not only product quality but also securing a stable supply of raw materials and an efficient supply system are important competitive advantages.

“Based on our existing bunkering business capabilities and the excellent supply infrastructure in the Onsan area, we plan to supply stable and competitive low-carbon fuel.”

Photo credit: S-Oil
Published: 23 July, 2026

Decarbonisation

Yang Ming and PSA to develop integrated sea-land decarbonisation solutions

Both will explore solutions spanning emissions measurement and verification, a digital Book-and-Claim framework, and a joint maritime-land inset token package.

Published

11 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

Yang Ming and PSA to develop integrated sea-land decarbonisation solutions

PSA International (PSA) on Monday (20 July) said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) to jointly accelerate the adoption of low-carbon solutions across the maritime value chain.

Beyond emissions measurement and verification, the collaboration will focus on a digital Book-and-Claim framework and a joint maritime-land based inset token package.

“This synergy provides cargo stakeholders with a transparent and accountable sea-land pathway to achieve their decarbonisation targets,” PSA said on its website.

Yang Ming launched the green transport service, EcoSea+. This initiative integrates Yang Ming’s low-carbon navigation capabilities to empower customers with a flexible and transparent strategy to effectively reduce their Scope 3 transportation emissions. By joining forces with PSA, Yang Ming is able to expand the impact of these sustainability actions beyond the ocean.

Building on its position as a global port operator, PSA advances its Node to Network strategy through integrated port and supply chain capabilities that enable a green network of terminal and landside operations to reduce end-to-end supply chain emissions.

The agreement was officially signed by Mr Ivan Chiang, Chief Logistics Officer & Senior Vice President of Yang Ming, and Mr Eddy Ng, Group Head of Operations, Technology and Sustainability of PSA International.

Mr Ong Kim Pong, PSA International Group CEO, said, “As responsible stewards of tomorrow, PSA is committed to delivering sustainable impact across the global port and supply chain ecosystem.

“Tackling the challenges arising from climate change will require the collective efforts of all players in the maritime supply chain sector. We are excited to partner Yang Ming on the decarbonisation of global supply chains and support the transition towards a more sustainable global economy.”

Photo credit: PSA International
Published: 23 July, 2026