Ship Services

A vessel that cannot bunker efficiently, provision quickly, or get its crew ashore and back on time is a vessel that is losing money. Ship services — the husbandry side of the maritime agency business — are what keep vessels operational, crews compliant, and port turnarounds short. At Unified Maritime Services, our ship services team coordinates every supply and welfare requirement for vessels in our ports, working in parallel with our port agency team to ensure zero delays between the vessel's operational needs and their fulfilment.

Bunkering

Bunker fuel is a vessel's single largest operational cost — typically 40–60% of a voyage's total expenditure. Getting bunkering right means sourcing compliant fuel at competitive market rates, arranging a licensed bunker barge at the correct time window within the vessel's port stay, and supervising the delivery to ensure the quantity received matches the quantity invoiced. Since IMO 2020, the sulphur cap of 0.5% m/m on fuel has made compliance monitoring mandatory for every bunker delivery. We supply VLSFO (Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil), LSMGO (Low Sulphur Marine Gas Oil) and, at select terminals, conventional HFO for vessels equipped with scrubbers. All bunker deliveries are supervised, samples are retained, and bunker delivery notes (BDN) are verified against the vessel's tanks before the barge is released.

Fresh Water Supply

Potable water supply is a critical but often overlooked vessel service. Long voyages, high crew numbers, and machinery cooling requirements deplete freshwater tanks rapidly. We arrange freshwater supply by barge or pipeline at all major ports in our region, coordinating the timing of delivery with the vessel's port schedule to avoid hold-ups. Water quality certifications are provided with each delivery for crew health compliance.

Provisions & Bonded Stores

Crew provisions — fresh food, dry goods, beverages, and cleaning supplies — are ordered by the vessel's Chief Steward and delivered to the vessel by our shore team. We source from approved marine provisioners, verify cold chain integrity for perishable items, and supervise delivery to the vessel. For vessels on long-haul routes through our region, we also supply bonded stores — duty-free goods including tobacco, alcohol (where permitted), and personal effects — delivered under customs seal directly to the ship.

Deck & Engine Spare Parts

Vessels frequently require urgent spare parts during a port call — a failed pump seal, a defective navigation light, an engine gasket. Our spare parts procurement team works with approved suppliers in Sharjah, Dammam, and Mumbai to source marine spare parts and get them to the vessel before departure. We understand the criticality of these requests and operate a 24/7 parts sourcing desk. For urgent shipments from international suppliers, we coordinate airfreight, customs clearance, and port-gate delivery on the vessel's behalf.

Crew Shore Leave & Welfare

Crew welfare directly affects vessel safety. A crew that cannot get ashore during port calls accumulates fatigue and stress, both of which are documented contributors to maritime accidents. We arrange shore passes and transport for crew going ashore, coordinate with port security for after-hours shore leave, and ensure crew returning to the vessel comply with the vessel's alcohol and drug policies. Where crew members require medical attention ashore, we arrange transport to the nearest certified maritime medical facility and accompany crew members who require translation assistance.

Waste Disposal & MARPOL Compliance

Every vessel generates waste: oily bilge water, garbage, sewage, and exhaust gas cleaning system (EGCS) washwater residues. Disposal of this waste at port must comply with MARPOL Annex I through VI. We arrange licensed waste reception facilities at all our ports, provide the required Waste Delivery Receipt documentation for the vessel's record, and ensure disposal is carried out by certified contractors. Port State Control inspectors routinely check MARPOL compliance records — our documentation ensures your vessel is inspection-ready.