1.Position Purpose

The Operations Manager isresponsible for the day-to-day commercial and technical-interface operation ofa fleet of dry cargo ships, including but not limited to woodchip carriers andgeneral cargo vessels. Reporting to the Head of Shipping, the role owns voyageexecution end-to-end - from post-fixture handover through to finalredelivery/discharge - ensuring vessels are operated safely, efficiently, andprofitably across cargo types with materially different loading, stowage, andport-handling characteristics.

The successful candidate willact as the operational bridge between chartering/commercial, technicalmanagement, port agents, and cargo interests, and will personally coordinate,supervise, and plan the loading of different cargoes across the fleet, bringinghands-on judgement on cargo compatibility, stowage, and vessel-deploymenttrade-offs rather than executing a single, uniform operating pattern. The rolealso leads the Singapore-based operations team, providing direct supervision,guidance, and development to operators and port captains.

2.Key Responsibilities

TeamLeadership

. Lead, supervise, and develop theoperations team - including operators and port captains - setting clearpriorities, allocating vessels/voyages across the team, and ensuring adequatecoverage across the fleet at all times.

. Set individual and teamperformance expectations, conduct regular reviews, and provide day-to-daycoaching on cargo planning, voyage execution, and commercial judgement.

. Build team capability throughstructured onboarding, on-the-job training, and knowledge-sharing oncargo-specific handling requirements across the fleet.

. Foster a strong safety-first,accountable team culture, and act as the escalation point for operationaldecisions requiring managerial judgement.

. Support recruitment, workloadplanning, and succession planning for the operations team as the fleet grows.

Voyage& Fleet Operations

. Plan, monitor, and executevoyages across the fleet, coordinating laycan, port rotation, and cargoreadiness with charterers, agents, and terminals.

. Coordinate, supervise, and planthe loading of different cargoes across the fleet - assessing cargocompatibility, sequencing, and stowage requirements for each vessel and voyage,and ensuring the right vessel is matched to the right cargo.

. Issue and manage voyageinstructions, ensuring masters and crew have clear, timely guidance on loadingsequence, stowage, dunnage requirements, and port formalities specific to eachcargo/vessel combination.

. Monitor vessel positions, ETAs,and port performance in real time proactively manage delays, weather routing,and berth congestion to protect laycan and minimise off-hire/demurrageexposure.

. Oversee cargo-specific handlingrequirements across the fleet - including woodchip volumetric stowage andmoisture/self-heating considerations, general cargo lashing/securing andstowage planning, and bulk cargo trimming and draft optimisation where applicable.

. Coordinate bunkering plans inline with voyage economics and charter party terms, working with the commercialteam on optimal bunkering ports and quantities.

Commercial& Financial Performance

. Monitor voyage P&L againstbudget/estimate for each fixture, flagging variances in hire, bunkers, portcosts, and demurrage/despatch, and driving corrective action.

. Support chartering withoperational input on vessel suitability, cargo compatibility, and realisticport/cargo-handling timelines when appraising new fixtures across the fleet.

. Manage and settle laytime,demurrage, and despatch claims maintain accurate, defensible SOF and voyagedocumentation.

. Contribute operational data andlessons-learned to voyage economics comparisons (e.g. dedicated tonnage vs.standard bulker deployment decisions) to support fleet-mix and charteringstrategy.

Port,Agency & Stakeholder Coordination

. Appoint and manage port agents,stevedores, and surveyors ensure competitive, accountable local support ateach port of call.

. Liaise directly with charterers,shippers, receivers, and terminal operators to resolve operational issues andkeep all parties aligned on schedule and cargo status.

. Coordinate with thetechnical/ship management team on vessel readiness, class/statutory matters,and any operational constraints (e.g. gear certification, hold cleanliness andpreparation for the next cargo).

Safety,Compliance & Risk

. Ensure all voyages are conductedin compliance with SOLAS, MARPOL, IMSBC Code (for bulk cargoes), and relevantflag/port state requirements.

. Oversee cargo-specific riskcontrols - including woodchip self-heating/off-gassing monitoring, bulk cargoliquefaction risk (TML/moisture content) assessment, and general cargo securingarrangement approval.

. Support incident investigationand corrective action for any operational, cargo, or safety non-conformancemaintain a strong safety-first operating culture across the fleet.

. Ensure KYC, sanctions, andcompliance screening is completed for counterparties, ports, and cargointerests ahead of fixture execution.

Reporting& Continuous Improvement

. Produce regular voyageperformance, fleet utilisation, and KPI reporting for senior management.

. Identify and implement processimprovements in voyage planning, port turnaround, and cross-vessel-typeoperating procedures.

. Support budgeting andforecasting for the operated fleet, and contribute to fleetdeployment/newbuilding or chartering-in decisions.

3.Qualifications & Experience

. Seafaring background required -prior sea-going experience as a deck officer (Master/Chief Officer levelpreferred) on dry cargo vessels, giving direct, first-hand knowledge of cargoloading, stowage, and vessel handling.

. Minimum 5-8 years overallexperience in ship operations, spanning both sea-going service and shore-basedoperations in a shipowning, ship management, or chartering environment, ideallywith exposure to woodchip carriers and/or general cargo vessels.

. Prior experience leading orsupervising a team is preferred (e.g. as a senior/chief operator, ChiefOfficer/Master, or team lead).

. Demonstrated experience managinglaytime, demurrage, and voyage P&L.

. Working knowledge of the IMSBCCode, cargo securing manuals, and stowage/lashing principles relevant towoodchip, general, and bulk dry cargo.

. Degree or diploma in NauticalScience, Maritime Business, Marine Engineering, or a related disciplineCertificate of Competency (Deck Officer, Class 1/2) required.

4.Skills & Competencies

. Strong commercial acumen - ableto connect day-to-day operational decisions to voyage profitability andfleet-mix strategy.

. Confident, clear communicatorable to manage multiple counterparties (owners, charterers, agents, terminals)simultaneously and under time pressure.

. High attention to detail indocumentation, laytime calculation, and cargo-handling instructions, whereerrors carry direct financial and safety consequences.

. Comfortable operating acrossdistinct cargo/vessel profiles concurrently - not a single-trade specialist -and able to prioritise across a mixed, live fleet.

. Resilient and decisive underoperational pressure (weather delays, berth congestion, cargo disputes,off-hire events).

. Proven people-management ability- capable of leading, motivating, and developing a small operations team, andof making clear decisions on workload allocation and escalation.

. Proficient in voyageestimating/reporting tools, MS Excel, and standard shipping operations/AIStracking platforms.