I worked on the Ionic Hawk. We operated in the Persian Gulf, India, Indonesia, and Australia on a long-term charter. The crew was mostly Filipino. Our crew members were brought in to fill gaps due to COVID-related recruitment challenges. There was a lot of paperwork, and it was nearly impossible to replace Filipino crew members. We struggled with one particularly unprofessional cook until a competent one arrived. In the engine room, there was only one engineer and many mechanics, making it hard to find replacements for top positions. In 2022, when COVID restrictions in the Philippines eased, we received a notice from the Greek office that they were returning to fully Filipino crews. A few of our top crew members remain, but they handle all the pre-voyage paperwork themselves without the crewing agency.
I have been working with Ionic bulk for almost two years, and they only send crew to three out of sixteen vessels. The majority of the crew on other ships are from another nationality. The paperwork is overwhelming, and they removed the position of Ship Secretary, which made things easier. The food quality varies greatly depending on the cook. Payments are made on time, but internet access is not available on all ships. I found the crewing agency to be very incompetent, requiring unnecessary certifications. Overall, the owner is not very favorable due to the excessive paperwork and the crewing agency's performance.
I had a mixed experience with Ionic bulk. The testing procedures on board were unclear, and I had to deal with a lot of inexperienced staff in the office. While I managed to get my contract done before the deadline, the constant changes in personnel were frustrating. However, they do manage crew changes in remote locations, which is a plus.