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BP Singapore bunker trial: Former Market Manager takes to stand as witness

Eric Hu confirms Koh’s claims of limited knowledge in English and explains how PPT managed to become BP Singapore’s largest counterparty.
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Manifold Times was present at the BP Singapore bunker trial on Tuesday (7 May). The following report represents a brief extract of the day’s trial:

The BP Singapore bunker trial continued on Tuesday (7 May) at the State Courts of Singapore with the cross examination of Eric Hu, the former Market Manager of BP Singapore Pte Ltd (2003 to 2010) and the ex-Key Account Manager of BP Taiwan (1996 to 2003) as witness.

Hu confirmed the claim of Koh Seng Lee, the sole shareholder and executive director of Pacific Prime Trading (PPT), of only being able to understand simple English when asked by Megan Chia, Partner at Tan Rajah & Cheah, acting for Koh.

“We communicated largely using either Mandarin or Hokkien in more than 99% of the time with very little English only limited to single words or [marine fuel] terminology,” he testified, while adding examples of “380” and “viscosity” as terms being used in English. 

According to Hu, Koh sometimes had to attend meetings involving BP colleagues from non-mandarin speaking countries. 

“Although he was involved in those meetings they were internal meetings among colleagues that will be speaking in English,” he said.

“We will let him speak when we need him to give further information. If he was not able to fully express himself, we will be able to help him. 

“There are not many times when we had such meetings with Mr Koh, but every time when we had such meetings we have to help him.”

Among other matters testified, Hu explained to the court how PPT managed to successfully compete against more than ten bunkering firms to become BP Singapore’s largest counterparty.

Hu estimated PPT and Vermont Singapore respectively taking between 40 to 50% and 30 to 40% of BP Singapore bunker sales volume in 2010, when he left BP Singapore.

“From my own personal view it was because PPT could fulfil a lot of the requirements set by BP; therefore, it rose from a small counterparty which had small share of the business to replace other counterparties with bigger share,” he said.

“And for its operations in the market it did not violate any of the BP requirements or criteria.”

Among BP’s criteria is the ability to purchase bunker fuel from BP’s ex-wharf operations for delivery through BP-vetted bunker tankers, a commitment to the development and growth of BP bunker sales quantity, and the safety and quality control of bunker oil, Hu further told the court.

“BP Marine has strict requirement for barges and we trust all counterparties to buy from us ex-wharf to use our barges […] for those who are unable to meet these requirements we will reduce business volumes for them,” he stated.

Related: BP Singapore bunker trial: Pacific Prime Trading Director cross examination continues
Related: BP Singapore bunker trial: Pacific Prime Trading Director undergoes cross examination
Related: BP Singapore bunker trial: Prosecution and Defence present submissions (Part 2)
Related: BP Singapore bunker trial: Prosecution and Defence present submissions (Part 1)
Related: BP Singapore bunker bribery case update: BP bunker trade data in question
Related: BP Singapore bunker bribery case update: CPIB officer takes to the stand
Related: UPDATE: BP Singapore bunker bribery case
Related: BP Singapore bunker bribery case continues

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 9 May, 2019
 

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Winding up

Singapore: Notice of intended dividend issued for Xihe Holdings

Creditors of the company will have to submit proof of debt to the liquidators of Xihe Holdings by 9 July at 5pm, according to Government Gazette notice.
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June 15, 2026

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A notice to declare the intended dividend of Xihe Holdings Pte Ltd to its creditors has been posted on the Government Gazette on Thursday (11 June).

Name of Company : Xihe Holdings (Pte) Ltd (In Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No.: 199002021M
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Court : High Court of Singapore
Number of Matter : HC/CWU 40/2022
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 9 July 2026 at 5:00 pm by email to [email protected]
Name of Liquidators : Paresh Tribhovan Jotangia and Ho May Kee
Address : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960

 

Photo credit: steve pb from Pixabay
Published: 15 June, 2026

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Winding up

Singapore: Notice of dividend issued for Hin-Leong linked Ocean Tankers

Second interim dividend for Hin Leong Trading’s shipping arm, Ocean Tankers Pte Ltd, is scheduled to be released from 31 July, according to Government Gazette notice.

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June 12, 2026

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RESIZED ocean tankers

A notice of dividend for Ocean Tankers Pte Ltd, the shipping arm of collapsed oil trader Hin Leong Trading that is currently in liquidation, was published in the Government Gazette on June 11.

Ocean Tankers is part of a group of companies which include troubled Hin Leong, Universal Terminal, Tuas Terminal, and Ocean Bunkering Services (OBS).

It was reportedly owned by Lim Oon Kuin, the founder of Hin Leong Trading, and his daughter Lim Huey Ching. 

The following are details of the notice of dividend:

Name of Company : Ocean Tankers (Pte.) Ltd (In Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No. : 197800020G
Address of Registered Office : One Raffles Quay, North Tower, Level 18, Singapore 048583
Court : General Division of the High Court of the Republic of Singapore
Number of Matter : HC/CWU 117/2021
Amount per centum : Second interim dividend of 2.00% of all admitted claims of unsecured creditors
When payable : 31 July 2026
Where payable : c/o Ernst & Young LLP, One Raffles Quay, North Tower, Level 18, Singapore 048583 

Related: Singapore: Notice of intended dividend issued for Ocean Tankers Pte Ltd
Related: Hin Leong in debt restructuring exercise; Ocean Tankers a separate entity, says CEO
Related: Ocean Tankers legal team publishes application to be placed under judicial management
Related: Judicial management applications for Hin Leong Trading and Ocean Tankers delayed
Related: Judicial managers of Ocean Tankers discover discrepancies and fraud in exposure claims
Related: Judicial managers of Ocean Tankers to present restructuring proposals to owners

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 12 June, 2026

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Winding up

Singapore: Xin Hui Shipping to be wound up voluntarily, creditors to submit claims

Creditors are required on or before 11 July 2026 to send in their names and addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to appointed liquidators, says notice.
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June 12, 2026

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Several resolutions for Xin Hui Shipping Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of the Lim family owned Xihe Holdings Pte Ltd, were made during an extraordinary general meeting held on 3 June, according to a notice in the Government Gazette on Friday (4 July).

The meeting was held at 8 Marina View, #40-04/05, Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960 and by electronic means at 10am. 

The following resolutions were duly passed during the meeting:

SPECIAL RESOLUTION – WINDING-UP

That the Company be wound up voluntarily pursuant to Section 160(1)(b) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018.

ORDINARY RESOLUTION – APPOINTMENT OF LIQUIDATORS

That Mr. Lau Chin Huat and Mr. Yeo Boon Keong of Technic Inter-Asia Pte Ltd, 50 Havelock Road, #02-767, Singapore 160050 be and are hereby appointed as joint and several liquidators to conduct the said winding-up and that their remuneration be fixed on the usual scale of their professional charges for the work involved.

SPECIAL RESOLUTION – DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS IN SPECIE

That the liquidators of the Company be authorised to exercise any of their powers given by Section 177, 144 (1) and (2) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 and to distribute to members, in specie, any part of the assets of the Company.

In another notice, the liquidators said creditors for the company are required on or before the 11 July 2026 to send in their names and addresses and particulars of their debts or claims, and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to the liquidators. 

Liquidators may also require creditors to, “come in and prove their debts or claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice, or in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts are proved.”

The liquidator can be contacted at the following address:

Lau Chin Huat
Yeo Boon Keong
Joint and Several Liquidators
c/o Technic Inter-Asia Pte Ltd
50 Havelock Road #02-767 Singapore 160050
Tel: 6561 0398 Fax: 6222 1855
Email: [email protected]

 

Photo credit: steve pb from Pixabay
Published: 12 June, 2026

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