Business

Singapore: Aderco and WISTA Singapore initiate charity drive for visiting seafarers stuck onboard vessels

‘WISTA Singapore will match dollar for dollar every donation received up to $3000; we will also help to pack the items for Aderco to deliver to the crew,’ the maritime association President tells Manifold Times.

Published

4 years ago

November 11, 2020

Admin

Singapore-based volunteers from fuel treatment specialist Aderco and from the Singapore chapter of the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) gathered on Monday (9 November) to place the finishing touches on a mutually organised charity drive for seafarers.

The group was present at Aderco’s Singapore office to pack approximately 200 care packages which will be sent to crew still stuck onboard vessels for an extended period of time due to the pandemic when the ships visit Singapore port.

The initiative was started by Yukie Teo, Sales Support Manager at Aderco, who learned about the plight of numerous ship crew from her fleet management and bunker surveying contacts.

“I was planning to go onboard vessels to distribute company brochures for visiting vessels in September and initially came up with the idea of giving a sanitisation kit and pen as part of a care package from Aderco,” she shared with Singapore bunker publication Manifold Times.

“However, further conversation with surveyor contacts found several crew to be in extremely low morale due to extended time onboard. A discussion with my boss led to an expansion of the care package budget; we are now in its fifth iteration and plan to carry out this campaign till end of the year.

“The Singapore chapter of WISTA is now onboard and they have been a great help in this endeavour. I will like to take this opportunity to thank WISTA members and the generous contributions from the many anonymous donors. Thank you for your support!”

Magdalene Chew, President of WISTA Singapore, personally helped pack items into the care packages.

“Crew members are essential workers but are generally more overlooked than other categories of workers. As much as 300,000 seafarers are still stuck onboard ships [according to the International Transport Workers’ Federation] and many have been living on vessels for over a year,” said Chew, also a Director of AsiaLegal LLC.

“Our ExCo member Yukie told us about this initiative their company is undertaking and we are very happy to take part. We have asked for donations towards the purchase of tea, chocolate beverages and more for crew visiting Singapore port.

“WISTA Singapore will match dollar for dollar for every donation received up to $3000; we will also help to pack the items for Aderco to deliver to the crew.”

Victoria McFarlane, Assistant Claims Manager at Britannia P&I, was among WISTA members present at the packing session.

“Seafarers transport about 90% of the world’s goods and they make sure that we have everything that we need so we want to do what we can to help them as well,” she says.

“Even now, there are so many seafarers still stuck on ships unable to disembark due to various restrictions in place due to Covid. They cannot see their families and are so far from home.”

The item list for each Aderco care package include:

01 x PVC ziplock bag
03 x disposal mask
01 x 50ml gel hand sanitizer
01 x wet wipes
02 x hand sanitizer pack
04 x alcohol pad
02 x face shield
01 x packet of milo 3in1 (18 sachets)
01 x packet of milk tea 3in1 (12 sachets)
01 x packet of coffee 3in1 (35 sachets)

WISTA Singapore members present during the packing session are (left to right):

Victoria McFarlane, Assistant Claims Manager, Britannia P&I
Magdalene Chew, President of WISTA Singapore & Director of AsiaLegal LLC
Yukie Teo, Sales Support Manager at Aderco
Amber Chang, Account Manager – Advertising at Tradewinds

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 11 November, 2020

LNG Bunkering

China: Ningbo Zhoushan Port completes first LNG bunkering operation for 2025

Bunkering vessel “Hai Yang Shi You 302” supplied more than 10,000 cubic metres of LNG bunker fuel to containership “MSC Adya” at the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port port on 5 January.

Published

3 days ago

January 10, 2025

Admin

China: Ningbo Zhoushan Port completes first LNG bunkering operation for 2025

Zhejiang Pilot Free Trade Zone Zhoushan Area on Wednesday (8 January) said Ningbo-Zhoushan Port successfully completed its first LNG bunkering operation for the year.

Bunkering vessel Hai Yang Shi You 302 supplied more than 10,000 cubic metres (m3) of LNG bunker fuel to containership MSC Adya at the port on 5 January.

Zhejiang Seaport International Trading, the bunker supplier for the operation, successfully obtained the Zhoushan Anchorage LNG bunkering licence in June 2024, extending refuelling services from dock to sea.

The company’s services cover Meishan, Chuanshan, Daxie and other port areas.

As China's first river-sea LNG transport and bunkering ship, Hai Yang Shi You is currently placed permanently at Ningbo Zhoushan Port, providing a variety of bunkering methods such as ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore.

Zhejiang Seaport International Trading will continue to expand the scope of bonded LNG bunkering operations and new alternative fuels such as green methanol, ammonia and biofuels in the Zhoushan Area.

Photo credit: Zhejiang Pilot Free Trade Zone Zhoushan Area
Published: 10 January, 2025

Business

Shandong Port Group bans US-sanctioned tankers from entering its ports

Group has prohibited ports to dock, unload or provide ship services to vessels on the Office of Foreign Control list managed by the US Department, according to a Reuters news report.

Published

3 days ago

January 10, 2025

Admin

Shandong Port Group bans US-sanctioned tankers from entering its ports

China’s Shandong Port Group has reportedly blocked tankers affected by US sanctions from entering its ports, according to an exclusive news report by Reuters on Wednesday (8 January).

Citing a notice from the port, which was issued on 6 January and shared to Reuters by traders, the Group has prohibited ports to dock, unload or provide ship services to vessels on the Office of Foreign Control list managed by the US Department.

In another notice released on 7 January, the ban came after sanctioned tanker Eliza II unloaded at Yantai Port in early January.

Shandong Port operates major ports on the east coast of China including Qingdao, Rizhao and Yantai, which are major terminals for importing sanctioned oil.

The traders said the ban could slow imports into China, the world’s largest oil importing nation, and increase shipping costs.

Photo credit: Shandong Port Group
Published: 10 January, 2025

Business

US DoD designates COSCO Shipping and CNOOC as ‘Chinese military companies’

COSCO Shipping has responded that the company and its subsidiaries ‘have consistently adhered to local laws and regulations, maintaining strict compliance in all international operations’.

Published

3 days ago

January 10, 2025

Admin

China: Cosco Shipping and bp to explore collaboration into methanol bunker fuel

The US Department of Defense (DoD) on Tuesday (7 January) has added China’s state-owned shipping company COSCO Shipping and two of its subsidiaries to its list of companies for allegedly having links to the Chinese military.

The subsidiaries are COSCO SHIPPING (North America) and COSCO SHIPPING Finance.

DoD released the update to the names of "Chinese military companies" operating directly or indirectly in the United States in accordance with the statutory requirement of Section 1260H of the National Defense Authorisation Act for Fiscal Year 2021. The Department said it will update the list with additional entities as appropriate.

Updating the Section 1260H list of "Chinese military companies" is an important continuing effort in highlighting and countering the People’s Republic of China's (PRC) Military-Civil Fusion strategy, DOD added.

The list also included other Chinese shipping-related companies such as shipbuilders China Shipbuilding Trading and China State Shipbuilding Corporation, oil company China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), CNOOC China and CNOOC International Trading.

Shipping container manufacturer China International Marine Containers (CIMC) was also included on the list of companies.

In a response to the move, COSCO Shipping said it has noted the recent inclusion of the company and its subsidiaries to the sanctions list.

“COSCO Shipping and its subsidiaries have consistently adhered to local laws and regulations, maintaining strict compliance in all international operations,” it said on its website.

“We remain committed to facilitating global trade and providing high-quality commercial shipping and logistics services to clients worldwide, including agricultural producers, manufacturers, energy firms, retailers, and exporters in the United States.”

“We emphasise that none of the aforementioned companies are ‘Chinese military companies’. We will engage with U.S. authorities to clarify this matter. This designation does not impose sanctions or export controls, and our global operations will continue uninterrupted.”

Photo credit: COSCO Shipping
Published: 10 January, 2025