Singapore News

Singapore is set to get new technology to help in preventing ship collisions.The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it has engaged the services of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), Singapore Management University (SMU) and Fujitsu to develop new predictive technologies for maritime vessel traffic management. These predictive technologies will tap the power of artificial intelligence and big data analytics, to enhance navigational safety within the Port of Singapore.

At about 2.53am on 19 April 2018, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) received a report that five persons had gone overboard from a boat, about 0.7 nautical mile northeast of Pedra Branca, the coordinates being Latitude 01˚ 20.5’N and Longitude 104˚ 24.5’E, within Singapore territorial waters. Personnel and assets from the Singapore Police Coast Guard (PCG) and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) were immediately deployed for search and rescue (SAR) operations. In addition, MPA has issued navigational broadcasts for ships to look for the missing person.

Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said it is investigating a collision between two tankers in Singapore waters on Tuesday that led to a leak of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from one of the ships.An estimated 1,796 tonnes of butane gas leaked from the LPG tanker involved but this posed no danger to shipping and measures had been taken by the ship's crew to stop the leak, MPA said in a statement."As liquefied butane has a high evaporation rate, MPA has assessed that any leaked butane would have been carried southward away from mainland Singapore…

Two oil products tankers had collided off Singapore coast but the impact of the accident was not immediately clear, industry sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The tankers were identified as Crystal Sunrise, chartered by Japanese liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) firm Gyxis, and Astro Saturn chartered by European trading house Trafigura. "We can confirm that the Astro Saturn is on TC (time charter) to Trafigura and is carrying fuel oil," said it's spokeswoman without elaborating further.

The European Commission presented trade agreements with Japan and Singapore to the Council to eventually be adopted. The European shipowners are very pleased that the first step towards the conclusion of these agreements has been taken. “With Japan and Singapore agreements Europe sends a strong message to the world in support of fair and regulated trade”, said European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) Secretary General Martin Dorsman. The agreement with Japan is the biggest bilateral trade partnership ever negotiated by the European Union.

Singapore-based Sinanju Tankers Holdings has ordered what it says will be Singapore's first dual-fuel bunker tanker, to be powered mainly by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Singapore law firm asks for vessels to be arrested; bunker barges owned by Vermont UM Shipping. Four marine refuelling barges owned and operated by Vermont UM Shipping Pte Ltd were seized in Singapore on Monday night, according to the website of Singapore's Supreme Court. Singaporean law firm Rajah & Tann seized the vessels over unpaid claims on behalf of its client, Malayan Banking Berhad, or Maybank, said a source with direct knowledge of the matter who declined to be identified as the person is not authorised to speak to the media. The source declined to specify the amount of the claims against Vermont UM Shipping. Rajah & Tann did not respond to an emailed request for comment. Maybank also did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

Tokyo Big Sight Conference Tower hosted the Southeast Asia Maritime Summit yesterday as a part of the Sea Japan 2018 exhibition. The packed conference hall was the stage for executives from five major ship associations -- Indonesian National Shipowners’ Association; Thai Shipowners’ Association; Filipino Shipowners’ Association; Malaysia Shipowners’ Association; and the Singapore Shipping Association -- to discuss the impact of increasing amounts of global emissions regulations as well as digitalization on their country's shipowners. Mr. Johnson W. Mr. Mr. Roy R. Mr. Ms.

Efforts to suppress a fire on containership Maersk Honam continue more than a month after a blaze aboard the 15,000 TEU vessel killed five crew members. On March 6, a fire broke out in a cargo hold aboard Singapore-flagged Maersk Honam while the vessel was en route from Singapore toward Suez, about 900 nautical miles southeast of Salalah, Oman. At the time of the incident, the ship was carrying 7,860 containers for the 2M Alliance between Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC).

Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. said it has received a Letter of Award from the Housing & Development Board of Singapore for the development of a polder at the north western tip of Pulau Tekong. The contract value for the joint venture with Penta Ocean Construction Company is approximately EUR 800 million of which Boskalis' share is approximately EUR 400 million. Boskalis and its partner will be responsible for building the required dike closures and reinforcement of the existing dike to create a 10 kilometers long dike…

A section of the lower Mississippi River is closed to vessel traffic after a Singapore-flagged cargo ship reportedly struck a pier and began leaking oil near New Orleans, Thursday.   The U.S. Coast Guard said it is responding with the help of local agencies. No injuries were reported.   The stricken vessel, Pac Antares, is currently moored at Nashville Avenue Wharf and the leak has reportedly been plugged.   The Mississippi River is closed to vessel movement from mile marker 91 to mile marker 101, the Coast Guard said.   The cause of the incident is under investigation.

Rolls-Royce is to supply more MTU engines to fast ferry operator Majestic Ferry in Singapore. Designed by Incat Crowther, a total of seven new fast ferries are being built at PT Cahaya shipyard in Batam, Indonesia over the next two years. Rolls-Royce is to supply 14 MTU engines for them by 2019. Each of the twin-hulled vessels is to be powered by two MTU 16V 2000 M72 units. “The determining factor for this follow-on order is the positive experience the operator has had with MTU engines and with our service,” said Chew Xiang Yu, a member of marine sales staff at MTU Asia.

Robert (Bob) Maxwell, managing director of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement Singapore (BSM), has died after a three-year battle with cancer, the maritime services company said. "It is with the greatest sadness that BSM delivers the heart-breaking news of the passing of our dear friend and colleague Bob Maxwell, Managing Director of the Singapore office. Bob left us on Monday, 26th March after a long struggle with cancer," said a statement from the company. He had a remarkable career in shipping and his contributions to the industry were formidable.

Vitol seen storing gasoline off Singapore as local onshore light distillates stocks at record levels. European trader Vitol is storing gasoline on tankers offshore Singapore, Asia's biggest oil trading centre, for the first time since 2016 amid oversupply and weak demand for the fuel, said four people that participate in the market on Wednesday. The sources said that Vitol was seen storing gasoline aboard more than one so-called Long-Range (LR) tanker. The company does not typically comment on its trading operations.

A naming ceremony was held for a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, Diamond Gas Orchid, at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.’s Nagasaki Shipyard.The newbuild, owned by Diamond LNG Shipping 1 Pte. Ltd., a 50/50 joint venture company between NYK and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), will sail under a long-term time-charter contract with MC’s wholly owned subsidiary in Singapore, Diamond Gas International Pte. Ltd.After delivery on June 29, 2018, the ship will transport LNG from Louisiana in the U.S.

Malaysian Bulk Carriers Bhd (Maybulk) plans to sell its entire 21.23% stake in Singapore-listed PACC Offshore Services Holdings Ltd (POSH) to its own shareholders, reported The Star. According to the report, Maybulk seeks to raise cash to pay for new vessels and cut down its debts. It also seeks to raise funds to strengthen its future operations in the dry bulk sector. Maybulk said the proposed disposal will enable the group to focus on its core business activity in the dry bulk sector. POSH is involved in offshore marine support services.

BSM announced the passing of dear friend and colleague Robert (Bob) Maxwell, Managing Director of the Singapore office. Bob passed away on Monday, 26th March after a long struggle with cancer. He had a remarkable career in shipping and his contributions to the industry were formidable. Bob trained as a Mechanical Engineer at Southampton College of Higher Education. He started his career at sea in 1988 as a 2nd Engineer and in 1993 became a Chief Engineer officer sailing on bulk carriers ranging from 149,000 to 186,000 tonnes. A few years later, in 1996, he joined Hanseatic Shipping as a Chief Engineer sailing on large containerships and gas carriers. Bob was passionate about shipping, so he continued his journey within the industry devoting his time to his professional development.

The first Singapore Technical Reference (TR) 56 for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Bunkering was launched by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), SPRING Singapore and the Standards Development Organisation @ Singapore Chemical Industry Council (SDO@SCIC). This standard has been developed to provide a safe, efficient, sustainable and transparent technical framework for conducting LNG bunkering operations in Singapore, thereby offering greater assurance to local and international LNG bunker buyers and suppliers.

Members of the G6 Alliance announced today that their groundbreaking cooperation in Asia-Europe container shipping will begin operation in the first week of March – one month ahead of schedule. “We are eager to roll out our competitive products to benefit customers by offering a comprehensive and increased coverage of 40 ports in the Asia-Europe market with more sailing frequency,” the members said in a statement. The G6 Alliance, serving the Asia-to-Europe-and-Mediterranean market was announced last December. The G6 Alliance members are the carriers in the Grand Alliance and New World Alliance: APL, Hapag-Lloyd AG, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Orient Overseas Container Line.

Trials are underway at Southampton as part of a pilot scheme to launch the eco-friendly HullWiper hull cleaning technology at the port. HullWiper is working to test the system on a range of vessels including cruise liners, Ro-Ro ships, container ships and general cargo carriers at the south coast port. Managing Director Simon Doran explains that the trials are to demonstrate the efficiency of the diver-and brush-free ROV to the harbour authority, Associated British Ports (ABP) in Southampton: “HullWiper provides an affordable…

ExxonMobil announced it will supply fuels that comply with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 0.5 percent sulfur cap in ports in Northwest Europe, the Mediterranean and Singapore, with additional locations to be announced throughout 2018. “Our new suite of compliant fuels will include residual and distillate grades. We are at a very advanced stage in the development of these fuels, therefore making us well positioned to help customers meet the reduced sulfur limit ahead of the IMO’s 2020 implementation date,” said Luca Volta, Marine Fuels Venture Manager, ExxonMobil.

The divers have recovered two bodies out of the five missing crew of JBB DE RONG 19, following the collision between Indonesian-registered tanker KARTIKA SEGARA and Dominican-registered dredger JBB DE RONG 19 that occurred in Singapore territorial waters at about 12.40am (Singapore time) on 13 September 2017. At the point of collision this morning, 12 crew members were onboard JBB DE RONG 19. Seven were sent to the Singapore General Hospital, out of whom five have since been discharged. Search and rescue (SAR) efforts for the three remaining crew members are ongoing.

Twenty more maritime companies came together to sign the Maritime Singapore Green Pledge to signify their commitment towards promoting clean and green shipping in Singapore. They join the 40 companies that have already signed the Green Pledge so far. The signing took place during the Singapore Registry of Ships Forum on "Responsible Shipping" and was witnessed by Lam Yi Young, Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). The 20 new signatories of the Green Pledge are listed in Annex A and include shipping lines, salvage companies and offshore service providers. A total of 60 organizations have signed the Green Pledge and pledged their commitment to promote clean and green shipping in Singapore.