MV. River Mas Dry Docking and Reflagging in Batam

When MV River Mas arrived in Batam from Alexandria, Egypt, she was flying the Antigua and Barbuda flag.

Seven weeks later, after an extended dry-docking programme at PaxOcean Pertama Shipyard, she departed for Singapore under the Panama flag.

This was not the vessel’s first call at Batam.

In October 2024, Batam Shipping Agency supported River Mas during a cargo unloading and ship-to-ship operation at Batu Ampar Port. When the vessel returned to Batam in May 2026, BSA was appointed again as her local agent—this time for a very different assignment.

River Mas would remain in Batam for dry docking, repairs, surveys, specialist attendance, crew arrangements, and eventually a change of flag. The original stay was expected to last around three weeks, but the project continued until the end of June.

Preparing for the Shipyard Call

Before River Mas arrived, BSA worked with the Master and vessel operator to prepare the documents required for her entry into Batam.

The work included checking statutory certificates, crew and voyage documents, customs information, health documentation, and the permits required for the vessel to proceed to the shipyard.

At the same time, several service companies were preparing to send engineers and technicians to Batam. Their travel dates, immigration arrangements, and shipyard access all depended on the vessel’s docking schedule.

That schedule changed several times.

The vessel was initially expected to enter dry dock earlier in May, but the plan was gradually moved back. Each change meant that travel, safety induction, gate passes, transport, accommodation, and attendance dates had to be adjusted.

River Mas eventually proceeded to dry dock in late May 2026.

Coordinating the People Behind the Repairs

The docking programme brought together teams from several companies and countries.

Among those attending were turbocharger specialists, marine equipment engineers, crane-repair personnel, stern-tube-seal engineers, class surveyors, consultants, and vessel inspectors.

The technical work was carried out by PaxOcean and the appointed specialist companies. BSA handled the local arrangements needed for those teams to reach the vessel and begin work.

Depending on the personnel involved, this included protection letters, immigration assistance, ferry-arrival coordination, local transport, accommodation, safety induction, insurance documents, and shipyard entry approval.

Some attendance dates had to be revised more than once as the docking plan changed. Keeping the owner, Master, shipyard, and technical companies aligned became a continuous part of the job.

The docking itself included class and statutory survey preparations, steelwork and structural repairs, crane-related work, turbocharger attendance, and other specialist inspections and maintenance.

A Work Done Report later issued by the shipyard confirmed that steelwork had been carried out during the vessel’s stay.

Day-to-Day Support During an Extended Stay

A vessel remaining in a shipyard for several weeks needs more than technical support.

Throughout the project, BSA continued assisting with provisions, stores, spare parts, technical samples, couriers, crew documents, and access arrangements for suppliers and contractors.

This included coordinating deliveries from Singapore, arranging shipyard entry for the appointed provision supplier, and assisting with the landing and onward movement of used turbocharger components.

After bunkering in Batam, an MGO LS fuel sample also had to be sent to a laboratory in Singapore. The sample was collected from Batam and confirmed delivered to the laboratory on 25 May 2026.

Crew requirements also changed as the vessel’s stay became longer than originally planned.

BSA assisted with shore passes, stay-permit applications, crew changes, passport coordination, and the return of vessel documents. The team also supported the handover between the outgoing and incoming Masters.

There were also occasions when crew members required medical attention. One case involved an emergency transfer from the shipyard clinic to a hospital, while another required a medical examination and follow-up with a specialist.

The medical details remained private, but the local arrangements had to be made quickly and followed through with the vessel and operator.

Reflagging from Antigua and Barbuda to Panama

During the dry-docking period, River Mas changed flag from Antigua and Barbuda to Panama.

For the vessel, that meant much more than changing the flag displayed on board.

Her registration particulars and supporting certificates had to reflect the new flag, call sign, and other updated information. The same details also had to be amended in the systems used by the relevant Indonesian authorities.

BSA coordinated the local updates with Customs, Immigration, Quarantine, and the Harbour Master.

The team also followed up on the vessel’s revised certificates and checked that the particulars were consistent before the outward-clearance process began.

This became especially important because certificates issued under the vessel’s previous registration could no longer be used if they did not match her current particulars.

The Ship Sanitation Certificate also had to be renewed as part of the vessel’s updated documentation.

Preparing River Mas to Leave Batam

As the shipyard work moved towards completion, BSA began collecting the documents required for the vessel’s customs and departure formalities.

PaxOcean provided the commercial and technical supporting documents, including the relevant invoice, packing list, power of attorney, and Work Done Reports.

At the same time, BSA coordinated the vessel certificates and crew documents that still had to be returned or released before departure.

The final checks were particularly important because the vessel was leaving Batam under different registration particulars from those recorded when she arrived.

After completing the docking programme, regulatory updates, and outward-clearance formalities, MV River Mas departed Batam for Singapore on 30 June 2026 under the Panama flag.

Local Support from Arrival to Departure

River Mas arrived in Batam for a shipyard project that was originally expected to take around three weeks.

It developed into a longer assignment involving changing docking schedules, multiple technical teams, crew immigration, medical assistance, logistics, customs documentation, and reflagging.

BSA remained involved throughout—from the vessel’s arrival under the Antigua and Barbuda flag to her departure for Singapore as a Panama-flagged vessel.

For shipowners and managers, this is often the part of a dry-docking project that is less visible: making sure that the engineers can enter the shipyard, the crew can remain legally in the country, the documents match the vessel’s current registration, and the ship can leave without avoidable delays.

That was BSA’s role throughout the River Mas project.

Batam Shipping Agency — Always On Your Side.