AS ONE of the oldest steam-operated maritime vessels in Brunei’s history, SS Bebatik will have her last cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) loaded into her hull for her final voyage.

To mark the event, Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC) and Brunei Shell Tankers Sdn Bhd (BST) held a farewell ceremony at the Brunei LNG Plant in Lumut yesterday.

The B-Class vessel, previously named Gardinia, was one of the seven LNG tankers transferred from Shell Tankers (UK) Ltd to BST.

SS Bebatik is the oldest, having been launched in 1972, making her over 46 years when she is retired this month.

Guest of honour at the event Deputy Minister of Energy and Industry Dato Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw was welcomed onboard by BST and BGC Managing Director John Douglas Cook, and SS Bebatik Master Captain Mario Lacconi.

Japanese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Motohiko Kato, French Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Christian Ramage, Shell Country Chair and Brunei Shell Petroleum Co Sdn Bhd (BSP) Managing Director Dr Ceri M Powell, Brunei LNG Sdn Bhd Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Patrice Girard, Mitsubishi Corporation General Manager (Brunei Liaison Office) Masaki Fujiwara as well as top officials from Brunei Shell Joint Venture Companies, government officers and the SS Bebatik crew were also in attendance.

The guest of honour toured the vessel, before heading to the vessel’s bridge for the farewell ceremony.

John Douglas Cook in his speech highlighted the collective effort that has enabled the SS Bebatik to deliver safe, reliable and efficient LNG shipping service.

After the sounding of the horn, the national flag was lowered and a Doa Selamat recitation was conducted.

SS Bebatik was also given a salute with the use of water cannons to signal her last voyage, as well as to celebrate her years of service.

SS Bebatik is slated to deliver her last cargo to Sodegaura Terminal in Japan before being decommissioned. Crew members will be reassigned to other vessels operated by BST.

Borneo Bulletin

TWO Brunei Shell Tankers Sdn Bhd (BST)’s remaining B-Class vessels, the Bebatik and Belanak, will be decommissioned in April and June this year after delivering liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo to customers for over 45 years.

BST launched a commemorative coffee-table book titled ‘Finished with Engines’ at a high tea reception to mark the decommissioning of the vessels at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall of The Empire Hotel & Country Club.

The book launch was officiated by guest of honour, Minister of Communications Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof.

Leading the event was John Douglas Cook, the Managing Director of BST and Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC).

In a tribute speech, Captain Abdul Mateen Abdurrahman Liew, BGC’s QHSSE Manager, noted, “Seven G Class vessels, all of which were built to serve the then nascent Brunei LNG project, delivered LNG from Lumut to customers, initially in Japan, and one epic voyage all the way from the South China Sea to Barcelona, Spain via the Suez Canal in 2002.”

In 1986, he recalled, “Ownership of the G-Class vessels transferred from Shell Tankers UK limited to a newly formed company, BST – and all vessels were renamed accordingly by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.”

The B-Class vessels were renamed Bebatik, Bekalang, Belais, Belanak, Bekulan, Bilis and Bubuk – all names of local fishes and shellfish, to maintain a marine connection.

Over the course of more than 45 years, he added, “The B-Class vessels have continuously provided safe and reliable LNG shipping services for the Brunei LNG project and their customers, completing more than 6,300 successful cargo deliveries whilst navigating an approximately 4,000-kilometre route between Brunei Darussalam and Japan.

“That is over 75 times to the moon and back or 15,000 times circumnavigating the planet.”

The B-Class, Captain Abdul Mateen Abdurrahman Liew pointed out, “have played an essential role in the development of the Bruneian LNG seafarer community, with the very first officers and cadets employed by BST gaining their sea legs onboard, and if you speak to any of the seafarers who have sailed on them, you will note a fondness for them that you only get from something that has proven invaluable to your own personal development”.

Through the B-Class vessels, BGC now has its first few master mariners and chief engineers, and with their decommissioning, that mantel has now been passed on to BGC’s A-Class vessels as BGC continues to develop its Bruneian seafarers in support of Vision 2035 and befitting BGC’s vision of “developing the nations’ resources for safe, reliable and sustainable maritime transportation”.

Following the book launching, the minister and invited guests proceeded to view an exhibition displaying photos and details of each of the seven B-Class vessels.  

Borneo Bulletin

BRUNEI Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC), in collaboration with Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), yesterday organised an anti-corruption talk at the StarLodge in Jerudong.

The talk on ‘Corruption Prevention’ was presented by Assistant Special Investigator, Edayantie binti Haji Abdul Hamid, Integrity Planning and Development Division, Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Around 26 people comprising staff and management of BGC from various departments attended the talk.

Alvin Kok, Assurance Advisor of BGC said the main objective of the talk was to spread awareness on the topic. “BGC also conducts similar training, but this is our first time collaborating with ACB and we look forward for more opportunities in the future,” said Alvin.

Participants also had the opportunity to witness a video presentation and covered topics such as What is Corruption?, Gratification, Offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act (Chapter 131), New amendments – Section 12A & 12B, Why Corruption?, Consequences of Corruption, Integrity and gift handling.

Borneo Bulletin

When individuals face an emergency as a result of unforeseen circumstances, government bodies and organisations that prioritise their staff’s happiness tend to come together to help alleviate the suffering.

Today, the Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC) was one of those organisations that lent a helping hand.

Donations were handed over to one of BGC’s employees, Azri Jumat, whose house was razed by a fire that broke out last weekend at Jalan Pelumpong Muara.

As Azri was on duty at the time of the handover, his wife Tooh Soon Dian @ Sara accepted the donations on his behalf from BGC managing director John Cook at the company’s office in Jerudong.

Speaking to New Brunei Daily, Sara expressed gratitude for the donations from the company as well as other parties.

“My family and I are very grateful for all the help and support we’ve received from everyone.”

The donations consisted of basic necessities such as shoes, diapers, baby products, children’s items and clothes.

When asked if the family needed anything, Sara named baby bottles and sterilisers were still items her family requires, though she also added that “we are happy to accept any donations given by the public”.

Sara and her four children are currently staying with a relative while waiting for her husband to return to the country.

Recalling the incident, she said it happened while she was on her way to work. She found out about the incident from her niece who was taking care of her children at the time.

“That’s when I rushed back because I was worried about my family”, which included her mother and sister, she said.

As for future living arrangements, Sara said the family is currently waiting to hear from relevant authorities. The fire, which took place last Saturday noon, completely wrecked a 12-unit barrack, which left five families scrambling for aid.

Those who wish to provide amenities to Sara and her family can contact the Village Head of Kampong Muara

New Daily Brunei

BGC Managing Director,  John Cook, Operations Manager, Steve Burns and QHSSE Manager, Captain Mateen took part in a tree-planting event held on September 19th 2017, at the newly developed X25 Recreational Park in the Belait District.

The event was a joint Social Investment initiative between the Belait District Office, Brunei Shell Joint Venture Companies and other Oil & Gas operators. This is the second event supported by BSJV and BGC showing our strong commitment in protecting the environment and to raise environmental conciousness in Brunei.

A SERIES of beach cleaning campaigns were recently held at beaches across the country – including Jerudong, Muara, Danau, Lumut,and Panaga beaches – by the Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC) and Brunei Shell Joint Venture (BSJV) companies, comprising Brunei shell Petroleum Co Sdn Bhd (BSP), Brunei LNG, Brunei Shell Tankers (BST), Brunei Shell Marketing (BSM).

This year’s campaign was held as part of the group’s annual activities and saw the participation of more than 801 volunteers – a similar turnout to last year’s cleanup. In total more than 5,906 tonnes of unwanted items and trash were collected at the aforementioned beaches.

Present at Jerudong Beach was Managing Director John Cook along with BGC and BSJV staff. Various organizations and educational institutions also participated in the campaign namely Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam, Standard Chartered Brunei, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, Fazrul Sdn Bad, Rosnah Yusof & Sons Entertainment, University Brunei Darussalam, Green Brunei, Universiti Teknologi Brunei, Jerudong International School, Micronet International College, Sekolah Menengah Sayyidina Hussain, Sekolah Menengah Rimba, Sekolah Rendah Rimba  II and others.

That totaled up to 231 participants in Jerudong Beach; all working together towards a common goal, which is to keep the beaches of Brunei clean and safe, which benefits the local community.

PROGRESIF Cellular Sdn Bhd (Progresif) has pledged to continue with its efforts to stay progressive in support of the country’s Vision 2035 aspirations.

One of the ways the company is helping to realise this ambitious vision is through employing more locals in its workforce, said Normah binti Ahmad, Progresif’s Government Relationship Manager, yesterday during the 14th Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration where Progresif was one of the participating exhibitors.

“When Progresif first started, we only had about 123 employees and currently we have under our employment 263 staff where 95 per cent are locals, and this is not the only progress we are making, but god willing, Progresif will be providing more sophisticated technology with the bringing in of the 4G network,” Normah told the Bulletin.

Progresif has also been active in supporting a number of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities – mostly colla-borating with parties such as Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), where it has started constructing a new building to help young entrepreneurs, she noted.

One of the recent successes from such collaborations is DART – Brunei’s first taxi and ride booking service app – while Progresif has also assisted a select group of UBD students with their car-making project.

These aside, Normah also highlighted that it is Progresif’s hope to step onto the international arena by marketing Progresif not just as Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd, but as a Bruneian product.

The opening of its branch at the Brunei International Airport has helped support Brunei’s Tourism Development Department’s efforts in promoting tourism to the country, with Progresif offering a number of attractive mobile packages for tourists coming into Brunei.

“We are also in support of education in Brunei with the offering of our data plan for students; these are the two areas that Progresif takes pride in as the response has been very encouraging and positive,” she added.

She further disclosed that the company is aiming to grab 30 per cent of the market, stating that it plans to achieve this by constantly innovating and progressing in terms of their offered products and technologies.

Meanwhile, John Douglas Cook, Managing Director of Brunei Gas Carriers (BGC), another exhibitor at the event, mentioned that BGC currently has 70 per cent of fleet staff who are Bruneians.

“This is part of the initiative towards creating a 100 per cent local workforce as we move forward; a key aspect of BGC at present is the development of Bruneian seafarers from cadet level all the way up to top-ranking officers.

“BGC’s current business opportunities are centred on the provision of shipping services to Brunei LNG – to help in the export of LNG to customers in the region. Today, we do that safely and reliably – a key aspect of our day-to-day work, which goes hand in hand with the development of a skilled Bruneian crew.”

BGC’s short term target is to become a fully-fledged self-functioning ship owner and ship manager by 2020.

It currently has a close working relationship with Shell, which provides them with operational support.

“At the same time it is also about looking at other aspects of shipping within Brunei where (BGC) can help grow and perhaps diversify its business to help support some of the ongoing developments, such as Hengyi Industries in Muara or (providing) maritime expertise to the Brunei Marine Department,” said the managing director.

“We aim to be the leading developer of local shipping and maritime skills, and we will grow BGC in support of Brunei Vision 2035.”

 

Borneo Bulletin

IN CONJUNCTION with the holy month of Ramadhan, Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC) yesterday held its 6th Iftar event for 50 special needs students from the Down Syndrome Association (ABLE) and the Society for the Management of Autism Related issues in Training, Education and Resources (SMARTER) Brunei at the Royal Brunei Recreation Club (RBRC).

The event saw the distribution of goodie bags by BGC to the students. A Tahlil session and recitation of thanksgiving prayer followed before the breaking of fast with the guests.

Present at the event were the CEO and President of SMARTER Brunei Malai Haji Abdullah bin Malai Haji Othman, Chairman of ABLE Tuming bin Haji Jais, and Information Technology Manager of BGC Mazlan bin Gapar.

In his welcoming remarks, Mazlan Gapar emphasised the need to show care and give thanks during Ramadhan, and for BGC to demonstrate its social responsibility and foster closer relations with the community.

The annual gathering is part of BGC’s Social Investment Initiative programme.

Borneo Bulletin

BRUNEI Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC) yesterday held a Promotion Ceremony at their main office in Jerudong to officiate the promotion of the company’s third liquefied natural gas (LNG) Chief Engineer.

The ceremony saw Managing Director of BGC, John Cook, presenting the insignia to Pengiran Shahirul Shaimee bin Pengiran Haji Daud, BGC’s third Chief Engineer.

Witnessing the auspicious event were Pengiran Shahirul Shaimee’s family members and BGC management.

With this important milestone, BGC now has two local captains and three chief engineers as of 2017 amongst the ranks.

BGC’s Cadetship Programme is one of the initiatives of BGC to realise its objective to create opportunities for young Bruneians to pursue their aspiration to be part of the oil and gas industry, especially in the area of LNG transportation.

The main objective of the programme is to have an LNG Fleet fully manned by Bruneians by 2020, which is in line with the mission in which BGC strives to continuously set the benchmark for local mariners and engineers who will be the backbone of Brunei’s marine industry.

BGC believes and recognises the importance of skilled talent to deal with the country’s economic product – LNG. With that in mind, BGC continues to invest in educating the youths and to supply high-quality marine officers from all ranks to work on board their vessels.

BGC employs 100 per cent Bruneians for its onshore operations and BGC’s ships are currently manned by a fully trained crew where 85 per cent are Bruneians.

Borneo Bulletin

BGC together with staff from Brunei LNG Sdn Bhd (BLNG) and Brunei Methanol Company Sdn Bhd (BMC) held a joint Tahlil ceremony at the Royal Mausoleum in Jalan Tutong on June 8, 2017. Present at the event were Mazlan Gapar, BGC’s Information Technology Manager, Haji Mohammad Jaya, Senior General Manager, Plant of Brunei LNG; and Hj Daud bin Hj Jais, Deputy CEO of BMC as well as senior officers and staff of the three companies. During the event, the recitation of Surah Yaasiin, Tahlil and Doa Arwah was led by Asril Amin bin Ahmad, BGC Religious Counselor.