SINGAPORE, 18 June 2020 - Offshore marine services provider, PACC Offshore Services Holdings Ltd's ("POSH" or the "Group") accommodation vessel has been designated by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore ("MPA") to support crew changes for cargo ships calling in Singapore.
The Group has uniquely configured its accommodation vessel, POSH Bawean, for deployment at the Eastern Working Anchorage. The vessel will be used to house transit seafarers prior to their flights out of Singapore or sign-on for the next assignment for up to 48 hours. POSH Bawean has 52 rooms over four floors, with capacity to provide up to 178 guest beds.
This accommodation vessel enables seafarers to be repatriated safely given that many have spent extended periods out at sea due to COVID-19. Through the establishment of a "safe corridor", cargo ships calling in Singapore are now able to carry out crew changes whilst minimising public health risk.
Mr Lee Keng Lin, Chief Executive Officer, POSH, said, "The need for safe crew changes has become increasingly urgent against the global COVID-19 backdrop. As a Singapore-headquartered offshore marine solutions provider, we are deeply honoured to support MPA in enabling this industry-leading initiative.
With our proven track record in offshore accommodation, offshore hospitality management and access to Kuok (Singapore) Limited's broader maritime capabilities, we stand ready to serve the broader needs of our stakeholders and clients."
All transit seafarers onboard will follow health and safety measures set out by MPA, including minimising interaction and having temperature screenings twice a day with deep cleaning and disinfection of rooms upon occupants' checkout.
****
For further information or to speak to a POSH spokesperson, please contact:
Ms Sandra Benny, POSH, Corporate Affairs and Business Development, +65 9815 5695, [email protected]
Ms Hoong Huifang, WATATAWA Consulting, +65 9128 0762, [email protected]
About PACC Offshore Services Holdings ("POSH")
PACC Offshore Services Holdings ("POSH") is a leading solutions provider for offshore energy operations. Our key business segments include oil and gas, offshore renewables and subsea operations.
With a diversified fleet of approximately 100 vessels, our services include towage and installation support, offshore accommodation, construction support, harbour towage, as well as turnkey project management.
Through our POSH Kerry Renewables joint venture, we provide one-stop solutions for the offshore renewables sector, offering a suite of comprehensive services across the entire life cycle of offshore wind projects. POSH also provides an integrated suite of subsea services through POSH Subsea.
APPENDIX: POSH Bawean features and services
Accommodation:
• POSH Bawean has 4 floors of accommodation as well as a galley, hospital and mess on the main deck
• There is a total of 52 cabins available, providing up to 178 guest beds
Guestroom features:
• Air conditioning
• Ensuite bathroom
• Work desk
• Toiletries
• Bottled water
• Sanitiser and face masks
Laundry and cleaning:
• Daily general cleaning and disinfection of common areas
• Deep cleaning and disinfection of rooms after checkout
POSH Jaeger en route to Myanmar for supply duties. What a lovely sight. Wishing all our crew onboard fair winds and following seas!
Our POSH Gusto and POSH Gaia harbour tugs have set sail for Myanmar!
Given the travel restrictions amid COVID-19, it was no easy feat to get the crew for this charter, which will see the two 4,000 BHP vessels provide berthing & unberthing, towing and standby firefighting support for CNTIC and V-Power group in Myanmar waters.
We couldn’t have done this without the strong support from Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and our crew, as we managed to observe all required safety measures for crew changes in an efficient manner.
A safe voyage and a successful completion to all!
#HarbourTugs#HarbourServices#OffshoreMarine#MPA
Amid travel restrictions, movement controls, and tight regulations on crew changes worldwide, our team faced an unenviable challenge of ensuring business continuity while following measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. Through the creative efforts of our crew, employees, and partner stakeholders, POSH has been able to do so and deliver for clients with minimal disruption, while keeping everyone safe.
Conducting repairs and maintenance in a new normal
In April, we began retrofitting a 50T offshore crane on our AHTS, POSH Dauntless in Singapore for her next job at the Yunlin offshore wind farm in Taiwan. There had been much uncertainty on what to expect as we were only at the start of pandemic containment efforts. Even so, the team showed their grit and resilience to prepare POSH Dauntless despite strict measures - managing manpower requirements and supply chain restrictions.
In July, we completed one of the industry's largest maintenance projects for CIMC Gretha in Curacao, which involved the overhaul of six thrusters. These projects are conducted once every five years, but this year was uniquely challenging as we have to observe the limitations around various lockdowns and movement restrictions.
However, with the support from our POSH crew and joint efforts of a dynamic, multi-cultural team comprising over 20 divers, engineers, and technicians from our partners CIMC Raffles, Subsea Global Solutions Caribbean N.V., and Stone Marine UK, the massive project was delivered on time with zero safety accidents.
Getting crew changes done amid movement restrictions
To support the sale of POSH Constant and POSH Conquest, our crewing team worked closely with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to disembark and repatriate 29 crew to deliver the two vessels to our buyers. This was done amid movement controls and border restrictions across much of the world.
Similarly, POSH Kittiwake managed to depart for South Korea for sale in April despite full lockdowns in Nigeria where it was operating. Through the efforts of our crewing team, all crew were able to sign off and be repatriated when flights resumed in September.
Getting vessels ready for charter
Most of our vessels have crew from various nationalities on board. But with travel restrictions, COVID-19 tests and quarantine measures in place globally, getting our vessels staffed and ready for charter was a challenging feat. However, through creative thinking and collaboration from POSH's crewing team, government authorities, clients, agents and subcontractors, we were able to observe all safety measures for crew changes in an efficient manner and overcome hurdles to ready our vessels for charters.
POSH is proud to be supporting Singapore’s efforts in containing the spread of COVID-19, working with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and partners to provide temporary housing for about 500 foreign workers.
On Sunday, our 3,200 BHP twin screw tug Maritime Ratu, as well as our 4,000 BHP harbour tugs POSH Guardian and POSH Harvest completed the tow of two Bibby Offshore accommodation barges, Bibby Progress and Bibby Renaissance, from Johor Bahru, Malaysia to the Tanjong Pagar Terminal in Singapore for this purpose.
Bibby Offshore is a longstanding partner to POSH and we are pleased to receive this important commission. Let us all continue to play our part – however big or small – in the fight against COVID-19.
#Offshore #FloatingHotel #OffshoreAccommodation #SGUnited #SingaporeTogether
(Bibby XX being towed by POSH harbour tugs pictured below)
PACC Offshore Services Holdings (POSH) has completed sea trials of autonomous vessel technology on a harbour tug in Singapore
POSH conducted these tests in partnership with ST Engineering in Singapore waters using its ship-handling tug POSH Harvest.
They tested autonomous navigation, remote control and other technologies during Smart Maritime Autonomous Vessel (SMAV) project tests in April 2020.
The trials were conducted in various scenarios and speeds up to 8.5 knots, while the tug was in autonomous waypoint navigation mode.
POSH converted its harbour tug into an autonomous vessel incorporating key features such as hazard detection and collision avoidance and NERVA ship management systems.
Collision prevention and autonomous waypoint navigation use artificial intelligence algorithms for detecting hazards and changing routes accordingly.
The collision prevention algorithm works in accordance with IMO’s international collision avoidance regulations (COLREGS), particularly in overtaking, head-on and route crossing.
POSH also installed a remote centralised control and health monitoring systems on POSH Harvest and maintenance capabilities such as condition-based maintenance, predictive diagnostics and prognostics on critical shipboard systems using the NERVA Sensemaking system.
Before the sea trials, testing of the autonomous vessel technology and simulations were performed onshore. These simulated scenarios were repeated with varying parameters including stringent simulated tuning trials to match the vessel characteristics.
SMAV project teams will continue developing and testing autonomous vessel technology during 2020.
ST Engineering vice president for marine technologies and solutions Ng Tee Guan expects systems tested during SMAV and further sea trials will be implemented on different types of vessel.
“As the maritime industry moves towards leveraging technology to develop autonomous vessels and enhance operations in a safer, faster and more cost-effective manner, autonomous ship technology can be implemented in many other vessel types, he said.
