Operations Manager – Dry Cargo Fleet

SUPREME MARITIME SERVICES PTE. LTD.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

SUPREME MARITIME SERVICES PTE. LTD. seeks an experienced Operations Manager to lead the Singapore-based operations team and oversee end-to-end voyage execution for a fleet of dry cargo ships, including woodchip carriers and general cargo vessels.

The role requires deep cargo planning expertise, strong commercial acumen, and hands-on management of loading, stowage, and vessel deployment to optimise safety, efficiency, and profitability across diverse cargoes.

Qualifications

• Seafaring background with deck officer experience preferred.
• Minimum 5–8 years in ship operations across sea and shore.
• Experience leading or supervising a team is preferred.
• Familiarity with laytime, demurrage, and voyage P&L.

Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise, and develop the operations team in Singapore, setting priorities and ensuring fleet coverage.
• Plan, monitor, and execute voyages, coordinating laycan, port rotation, and cargo readiness.
• Coordinate loading of different cargoes with cargo compatibility, sequencing, and stowage requirements.
• Issue and manage voyage instructions for masters and crew with clear guidance.
• Monitor vessel positions, ETAs, and port performance; manage delays and berth congestion.
• Oversee cargo-specific handling and bunkering plans tied to voyage economics.
• Monitor voyage P&L against budget and drive corrective actions.
• Coordinate with port agents, charterers, and terminals to resolve issues.
• Ensure compliance with SOLAS, MARPOL, IMSBC Code and flag/port requirements.
• Produce voyage performance and KPI reporting; contribute to budgeting and forecasting.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Team leadership

Cargo planning

Vessel deployment

Stakeholder management

Decision making under pressure

Voyage execution

Voyage estimation

MS Excel

Education

Degree in Nautical Science

Certificate of Competency (Deck Officer, Class 1/2)

Maritime Business

Marine Engineering

Tools

MS Excel

Job description

1.Position Purpose

The Operations Manager is responsible for the day-to-day commercial and technical-interface operation of a fleet of dry cargo ships, including but not limited to woodchip carriers and general cargo vessels. Reporting to the Head of Shipping, the role owns voyage execution end-to-end - from post-fixture handover through to final redelivery/discharge - ensuring vessels are operated safely, efficiently, and profitably across cargo types with materially different loading, stowage, and port-handling characteristics.

The successful candidate will act as the operational bridge between chartering/commercial, technical management, port agents, and cargo interests, and will personally coordinate, supervise, and plan the loading of different cargoes across the fleet, bringing hands-on judgement on cargo compatibility, stowage, and vessel-deployment trade-offs rather than executing a single, uniform operating pattern. The role also 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 the operations team — including operators and port captains — setting clear priorities, allocating vessels/voyages across the team, and ensuring adequate coverage across the fleet at all times.
• Set individual and team performance expectations, conduct regular reviews, and provide day-to-day coaching on cargo planning, voyage execution, and commercial judgement.
• Build team capability through structured onboarding, on-the-job training, and knowledge-sharing on cargo-specific handling requirements across the fleet.
• Foster a strong safety-first, accountable team culture, and act as the escalation point for operational decisions requiring managerial judgement.
• Support recruitment, workload planning, and succession planning for the operations team as the fleet grows.

Voyage& Fleet Operations

• Plan, monitor, and execute voyages across the fleet, coordinating laycan, port rotation, and cargo readiness with charterers, agents, and terminals.
• Coordinate, supervise, and plan the loading of different cargoes across the fleet — assessing cargo compatibility, sequencing, and stowage requirements for each vessel and voyage, and ensuring the right vessel is matched to the right cargo.
• Issue and manage voyage instructions, ensuring masters and crew have clear, timely guidance on loading sequence, stowage, dunnage requirements, and port formalities specific to each cargo/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/demurrage exposure.
• Oversee cargo-specific handling requirements across the fleet — including woodchip volumetric stowage and moisture/self-heating considerations, general cargo lashing/securing and stowage planning, and bulk cargo trimming and draft optimisation where applicable.
• Coordinate bunkering plans inline with voyage economics and charter party terms, working with the commercial team on optimal bunkering ports and quantities.

Commercial& Financial Performance

• Monitor voyage P&L against budget/estimate for each fixture, flagging variances in hire, bunkers, port costs, and demurrage/despatch, and driving corrective action.
• Support chartering with operational input on vessel suitability, cargo compatibility, and realistic port/cargo-handling timelines when appraising new fixtures across the fleet.
• Manage and settle laytime, demurrage, and despatch claims; maintain accurate, defensible SOF and voyage documentation.
• Contribute operational data and lessons-learned to voyage economics comparisons (e.g. dedicated tonnage vs. standard bulker deployment decisions) to support fleet-mix and chartering strategy.

Port,Agency & Stakeholder Coordination

• Appoint and manage port agents, stevedores, and surveyors; ensure competitive, accountable local support at each port of call.
• Liaise directly with charterers, shippers, receivers, and terminal operators to resolve operational issues and keep all parties aligned on schedule and cargo status.
• Coordinate with the technical/ship management team on vessel readiness, class/statutory matters, and any operational constraints (e.g. gear certification, hold cleanliness and preparation for the next cargo).

Safety,Compliance & Risk

• Ensure all voyages are conducted in compliance with SOLAS, MARPOL, IMSBC Code (for bulk cargoes), and relevant flag/port state requirements.
• Oversee cargo-specific risk controls — including woodchip self-heating/off-gassing monitoring, bulk cargo liquefaction risk (TML/moisture content) assessment, and general cargo securing arrangement approval.
• Support incident investigation and corrective action for any operational, cargo, or safety non-conformance; maintain a strong safety-first operating culture across the fleet.
• Ensure KYC, sanctions, and compliance screening is completed for counterparties, ports, and cargo interests ahead of fixture execution.

Reporting& Continuous Improvement

• Produce regular voyage performance, fleet utilisation, and KPI reporting for senior management.
• Identify and implement process improvements in voyage planning, port turnaround, and cross-vessel-type operating procedures.
• Support budgeting and forecasting for the operated fleet, and contribute to fleet deployment/new building or chartering-in decisions.

3.Qualifications & Experience

• Seafaring background required — prior sea-going experience as a deck officer (Master/Chief Officer level preferred) on dry cargo vessels, giving direct, first-hand knowledge of cargo loading, stowage, and vessel handling.
• Minimum 5-8 years' overall experience in ship operations, spanning both sea-going service and shore-based operations in a ship owning, ship management, or chartering environment, ideally with exposure to woodchip carriers and/or general cargo vessels.
• Prior experience leading or supervising a team is preferred (e.g. as a senior/chief operator, Chief Officer/Master, or team lead).
• Demonstrated experience managing laytime, demurrage, and voyage P&L.
• Working knowledge of the IMSBC Code, cargo securing manuals, and stowage/lashing principles relevant to woodchip, general, and bulk dry cargo.
• Degree or diploma in Nautical Science, Maritime Business, Marine Engineering, or a related discipline; Certificate of Competency (Deck Officer, Class 1/2) required.

4.Skills & Competencies

• Strong commercial acumen — able to connect day-to-day operational decisions to voyage profitability and fleet-mix strategy.
• Confident, clear communicator able to manage multiple counterparties (owners, charterers, agents, terminals) simultaneously and under time pressure.
• High attention to detail in documentation, laytime calculation, and cargo-handling instructions, where errors carry direct financial and safety consequences.
• Comfortable operating across distinct cargo/vessel profiles concurrently — not a single-trade specialist — and able to prioritise across a mixed, live fleet.
• Resilient and decisive under operational pressure (weather delays, berth congestion, cargo disputes, off-hire events).
• Proven people-management ability— capable of leading, motivating, and developing a small operations team, and of making clear decisions on workload allocation and escalation.
• Proficient in voyage estimating/reporting tools, MS Excel, and standard shipping operations/AIS tracking platforms.