Business

Sinopec to provide marine fuels and bunkering at Hambantota

‘We guarantee the supply of VLSFO to service all Indian Ocean vessels [by Q4 2019]’ says Deputy GM.

Published

7 years ago

April 17, 2019

Admin

Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales Co. Limited has won a tender process held by Hambantota International Port (HIP) to provide marine fuel and other ancillary facilities to marine liners calling and passing through Hambantota.

It was among 23 interested parties from Singapore, China, India, Dubai and Sri Lanka, who purchased tender documents and participated in a pre-bid meeting held at the port.

“The partnership with Sinopec, who are one of the largest providers of bunkers worldwide, underlines our goal of becoming a bunkering hub for the entire region,” said Ray Ren, CEO of Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) in a statement.

“Plans are already in the pipeline to expand our tank capacity in the near future.

“Due to their global networking strength, Sinopec will be in a position to offer competitive pricing, opening doors for local parties hoping to provide bunkering services.

“We plan to expand the port’s capacity — in fact we estimate the volume to surpass 1 Million TPA (tons per annum) in the space of five years, bringing us closer to our goal of establishing Hambantota Port as a bunkering hub in South Asia.

“HIP will also be looking at a number of associated services such as FW supply, sludge removals etc., which are already in the pipeline.”

Hambantota is located 10 nautical miles from the main sea route connecting east and west, on which ply more than 31,000 vessels each year.

Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales Company operates at all key ports in China’s coastal areas, and in more than 40 overseas key ports worldwide. It owns and operates 25 in-use oil depots with a storage capacity of more than one million cubic meters and has more than 100 oil barges in use.

It guarantees the start of bunkering operations at Hambantota by the fourth quarter of 2019.

Han Xueling, Deputy General Manager and Chief Accountant of Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales Corporation Limited says, “With our capability as the largest oil product supplier in China, we considered it our responsibility to start the production and supply of low Sulphur fuel (LSFO) and MGO.”

“Hambantota International Port is one of the many world ports, we would be supplying marine fuel to in 2019, and we guarantee the supply of VLSFO to service all Indian Ocean vessels.

“We look forward to a long-term partnership with HIP who we consider as a strategic hub in South Asia.”

Photo credit: Sinopec
Published: 17 April, 2019

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

15 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

16 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

16 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