In Memoriam – Namazie Razak

MSI Ship Management is pleased to welcome the cable vessel Pacific Guardian to our fleet.
Built in 1984, she has a long and distinguished history in laying and repairing undersea cable networks across the globe. Now flying the Indonesian flag, she will continue to build her legacy under the care of our MSI Indonesia team in Jakarta.
Her first deployment under MSI management will be an EPC project involving expansion of the fibre optic infrastructure to increase connectivity between the many islands of Indonesia.
The introduction of this type of ship to our fleet highlights our current ambitions to expand into new markets, plus the valued and versatile capabilities of our sea going and shore based staff in providing the unique competencies to operate this specialist asset.
Our Business Continuity Plan ensures that operations remain viable during the Covid-19 situation in Singapore and provides a safe working environment minimising health risk to our colleagues in the office.
For our Fleet, we have a detailed Covid-19 Plan that outlines all information presently available including precautions, resources and emergency protocols to be initiated in case of an outbreak on board. We are in constant communication with our medical partners to remain up to date with latest developments to ensure that this is information is disseminated to the vessels.
One of our chemical tankers recently had a close encounter with suspicious skiffs in the vicinity of Bab El Mandap, near Djibouti and Yemeni waters.
The vessel was on a loaded passage from Yanbu, Saudi Arabia to Singapore, when the watch keeper on duty observed fast approaching skiffs coming at the vessel from the port aft quarter.
On initiation of the alarm, both the crew and the armed escort guards mustered to instigate the response measures according to our standard operating procedures (SOP’s) in this scenario. MSI Management in Singapore, UKMTO and CMF151, a Japanese warship in the area, were immediately notified of the situation.
At this time, a total of 7 skiffs, with 4 to 5 people on board, continued to approach the vessel and closed to 0.62 Nautical miles.
As per SOP’s, the vessel had increased engine speed to max RPM. The vessel foghorn was sounded to draw attention of the skiffs to the visibly placed armed guard, and their weapons, in a measured attempt to dissuade them from further approach. Although no weapons were observed by the vessel on the skiffs, they could make out ladders on each of them which is a strong indication of their intention to board and they continued to run parallel to the vessel for more 15 minutes.
At this point, a helicopter arrived from the Japanese Warship CMF151. Its appearance was enough to convince the skiffs to alter their course parallel to the vessel and return, presumably to their mother ship.
The crew and guards worked well as a team, and their conduct was decisive. This was key to effectively implementing our SOP’s, providing a satisfactory outcome to the situation with no shots fired. It is also reassuring that the international military presence in the region is proving an effective force in the defence against marine piracy.
We always like to remind all crew to remain vigilant especially when transiting high-risk areas in the Gulf of Aden, West Africa and Malacca Straits and maintain strict compliance with safety and security protocols in accordance to the Ship Security Plan and ISPS requirements.
MSI Update on Novel Corona Virus (nCoV) - 04-Feb-2020 At MSI, we have been closely monitoring the pandemic outbreak and are fully committed to combating this deadly disease to protect our staff on board and ashore, and contribute to the community by acting responsibly.
For our offices and fleet we had taken the following actions :
• Office closure and placing staff with recent visits to China to work remotely from home during the quarantine period.
• Staff kept up to date with latest news developments.
• Ceasing non-essential travel to all afflicted areas.
• Ceasing all crew changes in China.
• Stocking and supplying sufficient surgical masks to for our shore based staff and seafarers.
• Restricting provision supplies (excluding all meat products) from China.
• Fresh Water to be treated if supplied from China.
• Hand sanitizers and contactless thermometers provided to all offices and vessels.
• Displaying posters providing information to take necessary precautionary measures to mitigate risk of contracting the nCoV virus.
• Temperature checks on external parties visiting vessels.
• Access into accommodation will be sealed off for shore stevedores, for whom masks should be donned at all times.
Our prayers are with the victims of this epidemic and we hope this this will be over soon !
Staff at MSI Ship Management Office were treated today with a wonderful performance of the traditional Lion Dance performance at our office premises.
Both lions prowled and covered the entire office today, to provide an auspicious start to the Lunar New Year with several oranges devoured.
We certainly look forward to a very successful year 2020.
We would like to wish all our staff a Happy Lunar New Year and with it, good health, prosperity and happiness for 2020 and for the many years to come.
Starting this year we have constituted the “Best Ship of the year” Award for the Dry and Wet Ship categories for excellent overall perfromance. We were guided by one of our key Mission Statements while choosing on the ship in the fleet:
“Relentlessly pursuing high standards in integrated maritime transportation management services with integrity & accountability”
A committee was setup within MSI consisting of Senior Management, Technical, Operation and HSSQE staff. Data for 2019 in the following categories were used as measuring tools to help us decide on the “Best Ship of the Year”:
1. Personal Injury Cases (LTIF)
2. Non Injury Cases (eg. Navigational incidents. machinery failures, fire, spills, security incidents)
3. PSC Inspections and Detentions
4. Unscheduled Off Hire
5. Vetting or Rightship Inspections– Vessels individual Performance based on inspection Risk Rating.
6. Vessel rejections by Oil Major leading to Loss of business
7. Overdue PMS
8. Compliance with MESPAS Reporting and
9. Ship General Appearance – age of ship taken into account
After much deliberation, we have decided to present the Award for “Best Ship of the Year” to the following ships:
1. Maritime Coaction – Bulker
2. Wawasan Topaz - Tanker
We at MSI would like to congratulate all the Masters and Crew on board these two above mentioned ship, past and present who have worked hard to make this possible.
We plan to initiate awards in more categories in the coming years and hope that this initiative will in some way act as an encouragement for all on board to go that “extra mile” in their day to day actions while on board. We also recognise that seafarers have to face many challenges on a daily basis and situations often are not as perfect as we would like them to be. It is only your resilience that makes it possible for every ship to safely complete her voyage.