Business

Singapore: MPA publishes enhanced Covid-19 safety procedures for crew change

For foreign ships, crew change will be considered if the ship meets all requirements and are in Singapore for cargo operations, bunkering or other marine services, it said.

Published

3 years ago

September 22, 2020

Admin

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Tuesday (22 September) published a circular regarding further enhancements to crew change procedures in order to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all persons in light of the Covid-19 pandemic:

FURTHER ENHANCEMENTS TO CREW CHANGE FOR CARGO SHIPS IN THE PORT OF SINGAPORE

MPA will continue to consider the following circumstances for crew change applications:

crew whose employment contract has expired;
additional crew on board whose sign-off would not affect the safe manning of the ship;
change of crew due to the sale or purchase of ship;
personnel who are not part of the ship’s crew such as superintendents and service engineers;
compassionate grounds e.g. death of family member; or
the crew is no longer medically fit to work onboard the ship.

MPA has reviewed and revised the requirements for crew change as follows:

Sign-on

In general, all signing-on crew are required to serve 14-day Stay-Home-Notice (SHN) in the crew’s originating country/region. The crew should be properly isolated (individual room with dedicated toilet) with strictly no interaction with others (including family members) at his/her place of residence, or serve the SHN in a dedicated facility/hotel.
Crew from specific low risk countries/regions will either no longer be required to serve the SHN or serve a shorter SHN of 7 days in his/her originating country/region prior to departure for Singapore. Please refer to MOH’s website(https://www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19)for the latest list of low risk countries/regions.
The crew must have a negative result from a COVID-19 test (polymerase chain reaction (PCR) type) taken at a government-approved or ISO 15189-accredited testing facility not more than 72 hours prior to departure for Singapore.
The crew must be certified fit-to-travel by a doctor at his/her originating country not more than 24 hours prior to departure for Singapore.
During the entire crew change process, especially during the journey to join the ship in Singapore,the crew should not be in a group of more than five (5) persons, and must remain in the same group.There must be no interactions between groups.
The crew should only arrive in Singapore to join his/her ship not more than two (2) days before the ship’s departure from Singapore.
Crew who have recovered from COVID-19 must submit documentary proof of his/her past diagnosis of COVID-19 based on the earliest positive PCR test result. The guidelines are as follows:
1. If the date of the positive PCR test result is 21 days or fewer before the date of arrival in Singapore, he/she will not be approved for crew change.
2. If the date of the positive PCR test result is between 22 to 90 days before the date of arrival in Singapore, the recovered crew need not serve theSHN at his/her originating country/region and take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours before departure for Singapore.
3. If the date of the positive PCR test result is between 91 to 180 days before the date of arrival in Singapore, he/she must serve a 14-day SHN at his/her originating country/region.The recovered crewneed not take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours before departure for Singapore, but if he/she develops symptoms during the SHN period, he/she must be tested for COVID-19.
4. If the positive PCR test result is more than 180 days before the date of arrival in Singapore, he/she must serve a 14-day SHN at his/her originating country and take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours before departure for Singapore.

Sign-off

The crew must not have gone ashore in the last 14 days before disembarking the ship and has remained well throughout that period.
The crew must be certified fit-to-travel by a doctor in Singapore not more than 24 hours before disembarking the ship.
MPA will facilitate pre-departure COVID-19 PCR testing for sign-off crew in Singaporein accordance with the prevailing national policy. Please refer here for more information.Ship owners/managers/agents will bear the cost of the COVID-19 tests of their crew, where applicable.

Stay at holding facilities

Sign-on and sign-off crew may stay at designated holding facilities for up to 72 hours. Please refer to Annex A For details of the designated holding facilities.

General

Ship owners/managers/agents must apply for crew change in Singapore by filling up the online form or scan the QR code below.

MPA urges ship owners/managers/agents to submit applications at least 14 days before the planned crew change, especially if the application includes sign-on crew. For foreign-flagged ships, crew change will be considered if the ship meets all prevailing requirements, and are in Singapore for cargo operations, bunkering and/or other marine services.

Annex A

Designated holding facilities for SIGN-ON crew

Floatels @ Tanjong Pagar Terminal
Rooms: Air-conditioned with en suite bathroom
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included. Meals will be delivered to the room.
For reservations, please contact:
+65 8939 7507
[email protected]

Designated holding facilities for SIGN-OFF crew

Seacare Hotel
Rooms: Air-conditioned with en suite bathroom
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included. Meals will be delivered to the room.
For reservations, please contact:
Phang Jing Huei
+65 6818 2680r
[email protected]

Accommodation vessel Posh Bawean
Rooms: Air-conditioned with en suite bathroom
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included. Meals will be delivered to the room.
For reservations, please contact:
Jonathan Ng
+65 9740 4775
[email protected]

A full copy of the circular is available for download here.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 20 September, 2020

Methanol

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

Duo signed a MoU in Shanghai to expand their scope of strategic cooperation into new areas including lubricant supply, methanol bunker fuel supply for bunkering and offshore wind supply chain.

Published

6 hours ago

December 11, 2023

Admin

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

Cosco Shipping on Thursday (7 December) said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with bp to expand their scope of strategic cooperation into new areas on 5 December in Shanghai.

“This includes Castrol Marine lubricants and hydrocarbons transportation, offshore equipment as well as exploring collaboration opportunities in areas such as methanol supply for bunkering and offshore wind supply chain,” Cosco said.

“Together, both parties will further capitalize on the business advantages of both parties, enhance synergies, and achieve complementary advantages and common development.”

William Lin, bp Group Executive Vice President, and Lin Ji, Executive Vice President of COSCO SHIPPING, witnessed the signing. Simon Yang, bp Group Senior Vice President and bp China President, and Chen Wei, Deputy Head of the Operations Division of COSCO SHIPPING, signed the document on behalf of the two parties.

Cosco said bp has been operating in China since the early 1970s and is one of the leading foreign-invested companies in China’s energy industry.

“bp and Cosco Shipping have a longstanding history of cooperation, including the transportation of energy products, offshore equipment manufacturing services, and the supply of marine fuels and lubricants,” it added.

Photo credit: Cosco Shipping
Published: 11 December, 2023

Methanol

Maersk to deploy first large methanol-powered vessel on Asia-Europe trade lane in 2024

Ship will enter service on the AE7 string connecting Asia and Europe, which includes port calls in Shanghai and Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia, with Ningbo in China, being its first destination.

Published

6 hours ago

December 11, 2023

Admin

Maersk to deploy first large methanol-powered vessel on Asia-Europe trade lane in 2024

A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk) on Thursday (7 December) said it was about to launch the first of its 18 large methanol-enabled vessels currently on order.

On 9 February 2024, the ship will enter service on the AE7 string connecting Asia and Europe, which includes port calls in Shanghai, Tanjung Pelepas, Colombo and Hamburg, with Ningbo, China, being its first destination.

“The container vessel built by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in South Korea has a nominal capacity of 16,000 containers (TEU) and is equipped with a dual-fuel engine enabling operations on methanol as well as biodiesel and conventional bunker fuel,” the firm said.

Maersk added it has secured sufficient green methanol to cover the vessel’s maiden voyage and continues to work diligently on 2024-25 sourcing solutions for its methanol-enabled vessel fleet.

“Deploying the first of our large methanol-enabled vessels on one of the world’s largest trade lanes, Asia - Europe, is a landmark in our journey towards our Net-Zero target. With the vessel’s capacity of 16,000 containers, this will make a significant impact in our customers’ efforts to decarbonise their supply chains, and we are looking forward to introducing more methanol-enabled vessels on this and other trades during 2024,” Karsten Kildahl Chief Commercial Officer at Maersk, said.

Ahead of its deployment, the vessel will be named at the shipyard in end January 2024. The following two sister vessels will be deployed in the first half of 2024 with naming events taking place in Yokohama, Japan, and Los Angeles, USA. Maersk said it was expected to take delivery of four additional sister vessels in the second half of 2024.

At the time of deployment of the first large vessel, it will be the only second container vessel in the world that can sail on green methanol, the first being the feeder vessel Laura Maersk which entered service in September this year.

Overview of Maersk vessels on order

Maersk has 24 container vessels on order
All vessels currently on order will be equipped with dual-fuel engines and will be able to operate on green methanol
12 of the vessels on order have a capacity of 16,000 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit containers)
6 of the vessels on order have a capacity of 17,000 TEU
6 of the vessels on order have a capacity of 9,000 TEU
Since 2021, Maersk has had a policy of only ordering new vessels able to operate on green fuels

About Maersk’s AE7 service string

The AE7 string connects Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal
The AE7 string has the following port calls: Ningbo, Shanghai, Nansha, Yantian (all China), Tanjung Pelepas (Malaysia), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Port Tangiers (Morocco), Felixstowe (UK), Hamburg (Germany), Antwerp (Belgium), London Gateway (UK), Le Havre (France), Port Tangiers, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Jebel Ali (UAE)

Photo credit: A.P. Moller - Maersk
Published: 11 December, 2023

VLSFO

ENGINE: Petrobras’ new bunker price mechanism adds to Brazil market shake-up

With a new pricing mechanism now in place since 1 November, Petrobras bunker prices can change anytime throughout the day and final prices will depend on enquiries, a source says.

Published

6 hours ago

December 11, 2023

Admin

Since Brazilian petroleum firm and bunker supplier Petrobras shifted from posted bunker prices to indicative prices, Santos’ VLSFO discounts to Brazilian and foreign ports have narrowed.

Petrobras started issuing indicative bunker prices for Brazilian ports on 1 November, shifting from its usual pricing mechanism of posted prices. These posted prices were mostly fixed in nature, and did not tend to change despite movements in underlying crude values.

With a new pricing mechanism now in place, Petrobras bunker prices can change anytime throughout the day and final prices will depend on enquiries, a source says. The new pricing has been reflected in Brazilian bunker price dynamics.

Santos’ VLSFO price discount to Zona Comun’s VLSFO has come down from peak levels of $50/mt in September to around $35/mt in October and November and has further slid to just $4/mt.

VLSFO prices have also changed rapidly between Brazilian ports in recent weeks. Rio Grande’s VLSFO premium over Santos momentarily shrunk from nearly $40/mt in November to just $8/mt earlier this week, but then widened back to $42/mt.

Some argue that Petrobras decided to change the pricing mechanism because of the rise in competition in the Brazilian market. In recent months, several suppliers such as Ipiranga and Bunker One have expanded their Brazilian bunker operations, offering new grades and entering new ports in Brazil. Raizen also started VLSFO supply in the port of Itaqui and São Luiz in July this year.

Another source says that competition is mostly between Brazilian ports - as opposed to with foreign ports. Ships calling in Brazil will be able to pick and choose bunker-only ports with the best offers. Meanwhile, those vessels calling in Argentina will ideally pick bunkers from Zona Comun rather than Brazilian ports, the source adds.

By Nithin Chandran

Source: ENGINE
Photo credit: Gabriel Martins on Unsplash
Published: 11 December, 2023