Business

INTERVIEW: Bunker Holding Group’s Bunker One flexes physical strength

The Global Director tells Manifold Times his views on 2020, the future role of physical suppliers, and adoption of MFM bunkering for international operations.

Published

8 years ago

February 19, 2018

Admin

Newly formed Bunker Holding Group (BHG) subsidiary Bunker One is keen to make itself known as the “go to” player for physical bunker deliveries worldwide, says its Global Director.

Bunker One launched on 1 February by combining all of BHG’s physical supply entities into a single brand operating in more than 12 countries supported by 79 employees.

“Basically, the reason why we are combining our physical units in one is in order to create awareness of our physical strength by tapping on local Bunker Holding agencies where we have some really good talented people for operations,” Peter Zachariassen told Manifold Times in an interview.

“What we want to do now is to take this local standard globally and implement this worldwide in all our operations. On top of being a physical supplier, we also want to play a more consultancy role towards our clients.”

Singapore-based Unicore, BHG’s other purchasing organisation for Singapore, Johor (Pasir Gudang) and Tanjung Pelepas as well as Dutch and Belgian ports (the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp region), will continue to handle operations at the republic.

“It is correct that Unicore is our purchasing arm in Singapore and they will also at the moment handle our operations in the port of Singapore; but the reason for us to start Bunker One Singapore is for us to be more focused on our local clients’ needs while making sure that we are ready for 2020 at the port,” he says.

“We are doing extensive research and talks worldwide to see what is expected of the activity in 2020 not only from the source side but also from the client side in order to meet the needs of our customers – and our job is to prepare that.

“The challenge we see in 2020 will not be the availability of fuels at the Singapore market, but instead the minor and secondary ports where sources for various compliant fuels might be an issue.

“As a group, it is very important we work together for more cooperation while also functioning as a consultancy for our customers and fuel producers. The role of a physical supplier in the future will be more and more focused on cooperation and consultancy than ever before.”

The adoption of mass flowmeters (MFM) technology for bunkering, though a requirement at world’s biggest bunkering port Singapore, will be considered at Bunker One’s other international physical bunker delivery locations on a case-by-case basis.

“We absolutely have good experience using MFM for bunker deliveries at Singapore. The introduction of MFM bunkering at Singapore is necessary and good, and something that of course we are very satisfied with it. It shows more substance and physical commitment,” notes Zachariassen.

“The experience from Singapore MFM operations is something we will consider introducing worldwide. One must also take note that bunkering operations at certain ports are different from others and we will leave it up to my departments to come up with best of advice of which ports to implement MFM bunkering.

“We will take our experience and knowledge of MFM bunkering operations at Singapore and combine it with our local expertise to evaluate the implementation of MFM bunkering at various ports.

“We are a champion for compliance and transparency and we want to meet the high standards expected of us at the Bunker Holding Group.”

Photo credit: Bunker Holding
Publication date: 19 February 2018

Legal

Singapore withdraws remaining 127 charges against Hin Leong founder OK Lim

Lim Oon Kuin, also known as OK Lim, was issued a stern warning and a district court granted him a discharge amounting to an acquittal for these charges on 17 July.

Published

17 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

Founder of collapsed oil trader Hin Leong Trading, Lim Oon Kuin, also known as OK Lim, has had the remaining 127 charges against him withdrawn, according to The Straits Times on Monday (20 July).

OK Lim was issued a stern warning and a district court granted him a discharge amounting to an acquittal for these charges, including those for cheating, on 17 July. The discharge means Lim cannot be prosecuted again for the same offences.

Lim, 84, is currently serving a 13½-year prison sentence after the High Court reduced his original 17½-year jail term in March 2026. He was convicted in 2024 on two cheating charges and one count of abetting forgery in a case prosecutors described as one of Singapore’s most serious trade finance frauds.

Lim was convicted in May 2024 of two charges of cheating the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) and one count of abetting forgery that proceeded to trial out of a total of 130 criminal charges.

He was first charged in court on 14 August 2020, and was subsequently handed further charges in court on 25 September 2020, 30 April 2021 and 24 June 2021 for his role in perpetuating fraud on various financial institutions.

A total of 130 charges were eventually brought against him for cheating and forgery-related offences.

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

Winding up

Singapore: Coastal Logistics Pte Ltd to be wound up voluntarily

Coastal Logistics was reportedly affiliated with troubled Singapore bunker player Coastal Oil (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

Published

17 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

Several resolutions for Coastal Logistics Pte Ltd were made during an extraordinary general meeting held on 14 July, according to a notice in the Government Gazette on Friday (4 July).

The following resolutions were duly passed during the meeting:

As Special Resolution

That it has been proved to the satisfaction of the meeting that the Company cannot by reason of its liabilities continue its business and accordingly the Company be wound up voluntarily pursuant to Section 160(1)(b) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 (No. 40 of 2018);

As Ordinary Resolutions

that Mr. Wong Pheng Cheong Martin and Ms. Koay May Yee, both care of FTI Consulting (Singapore) Pte Ltd, One Raffles Quay, #27-10 South Tower, Singapore 048583 be appointed as the joint and several Liquidators of the Company for the purpose of such winding up; and
that the Liquidators be at liberty to open, maintain and operate any bank account(s) or account(s) for monies received by them as Liquidators with such bank(s) as they deem fit; and
that a Committee of Inspection will not be formed.

Manifold Times previously reported Nicholas James Gronow, director of Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping and Coastal Logistics, filed statutory declarations for both companies stating the firms cannot continue their businesses due to liabilities.

Both companies were reportedly affiliated with troubled Singapore bunker player Coastal Oil (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

In 2019, several vessels owned by both firms entered the sale & purchase (S&P) market in Singapore.

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

LNG Bunkering

PIL’s LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Published

17 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

PIL's LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

Singapore-based Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd on Monday (20 July) said its first 13,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel, Kota Elok, recently made her maiden call to Singapore on 15 July.

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

The vessel also incorporated energy-saving features and digital technologies to reduce fuel consumption and enhance operational performance, as well as a bow windshield to improve aerodynamics, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions over the course of long-haul voyages.

“Following Singapore, Kota Elok will continue her voyage on our East Coast Service 1 (ES1) route to South America, calling at ports in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina before returning to Asia,” the company said in a social media post.

Kota Elok also became PIL’s first vessel to receive Lloyd’s Register certification for compliance with the IACS UR E26 and UR E27 cyber security requirements.

Developed by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), UR E26 and UR E27 are mandatory cyber resilience requirements for newbuild vessels contracted from 1 July 2024.

Photo credit: Pacific International Lines
Published: 21 July, 2026