Straits Inter Logistics partners Singapore firm to venture into disinfection, sanitisation services for vessels

PETALING JAYA: Straits Inter Logistics Bhd will be collaborating with Singapore’s Ecom Solution Pte Ltd to offer disinfection and santisation services to vessels using the services of the ports in Singapore and Malaysia.

The venture is expected to complement the company’s current offerings and provide a new source of income for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2020 (FY2020).

A filing with Bursa Malaysia showed that Straits Inter Logistics’s 51%-owned subsidiary Straits Marine Services Pte Ltd (SMS) today signed a collaboration agreement with Ecom in Singapore. The two parties will be collaborating in the offering and marketing of the services to vessels for one year.

Ecom is principally involved in providing disinfecting and sanitisation services to homes and commercial buildings against contaminants such as viruses, bacteria, mould, mildew and odour. Ecom has a trained and professional disinfection team carrying out work in line with the guidelines of Singapore’s National Environment Agency. It has operated in Singapore for over seven years.

Ecom’s vision is to provide the highest health standards and to create a safe environment for people to work and live in. With the surge in demand for disinfection and sanitisation services as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ecom will now work exclusively with SMS to extend their services to the vessels operating in Singapore and Malaysia waters.

Straits Inter Logistics group managing director Datuk Seri Ho Kam Choy said due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, one of its major concerns as a ship manager of 11 vessels through SMS is the safety of its crew and shore personnel coming onboard the vessels.

“We had looked around for companies that provide cleaning and disinfection services for vessels in the maritime industry but were unable to find any. Most of these disinfection companies are land-based, therefore we decided to introduce this ervices into our company so that we will be able to provide this disinfection solutions to not only our fleet but also other vessel operators using the services of ports in both Singapore and Malaysia,” Ho said in a statement today.

He added that besides Singapore, Straits Inter Logistics will begin promoting and marketing the disinfection services to vessel operators using the ports where some of its subsidiaries are bunkering at the moment, covering about nine ports in Malaysia. The new business is expected to also contribute positively to the group’s bottom line in the current FY2020.

Elaborating on the agreement, Straits Marine Services executive director Captain Tony Tan Han added that it will be important for vessels to be disinfected prior to any shore personnel coming onboard as this will minimise the chances of the virus spreading.

“Through this collaboration with Ecom, we will be able to provide specialised cleaning and disinfecting solutions as a complement to our ship management services for the maritime industry. Currently, there are about 80,000 ships plying through the Straits of Malacca annually and many of these vessels would require disinfection sevices when they berth at the ports of Singapore and Malaysia.”

At present, Straits Inter Logistics’s 55%-owned subsidiary Tumpuan Megah Development Sdn Bhd operates in nine ports in Malaysia, which include Lumut Port, Pasir Gudang Port, Bintulu Port, Tanjung Pelepas Port, Johor Bahru Port, Kuantan Port, Kemaman Port, Kuala Terengganu Port and Labuan Port, all of which are licensed under Petroleum Development Act 1974 for its bunkering services.

Currently Straits Inter Logistics has an enlarged fleet size of 11 vessels with a total carrying capacity of 22 million litres. The company also operates and manages Labuan Liberty Terminal via its 51%-owned subsidiary Megah Port Management Sdn Bhd.

Straits Inter Logistics is principally engaged in oil trading and oil bunkering services and investment holding activities. Oil bunkering services involves the provision of refuelling marine gas oil and marine fuel oil through Straits Inter Logistics vessels to other ships and ocean faring vessels such as oil tankers, container ships, cargo vessels and cruise ships.

source https://www.thesundaily.my/business/straits-inter-logistics-partners-singapore-firm-to-venture-into-disinfection-sanitisation-services-for-vessels-CF2546343