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Singapore: Scorpio LR2 Pool takes Winson Oil to court over USD 13.6 million oil cargo claim from OCBC

P&I Club Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association (Europe) Limited has issued letter of undertaking to STI Orchard assuring total liability of not more than USD 17 million, show court documents.
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Lawyers representing Scorpio LR2 Pool Ltd (Scorpio, the Plaintiff), in the business of providing vessel chartering services, and energy trading and bunkering firm Winson Oil Trading Pte Ltd (Winson Oil, the Defendant) will be meeting at the High Court of the Republic of Singapore on 10 June.

The legal representatives will discuss, amongst others, security between Scorpio and Winson Oil due to a letter of indemnity earlier received from the latter, according to court documents obtained by Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times.

Scorpio receives Letter of Indemnity from Winson Oil

A central topic of the meeting will be the discussion of USD 13.6 million (exact: USD 13,608,000) worth of 36,016.480 mt Gasoil 10PPM Sulphur cargo (Subject Cargo) lifted by Winson Oil in Taiwan during February 2020, when the 10,999 dwt oil tanker STI Orchard was sub chartered from Scorpio for the operation.

In March 2020, Winson Oil requested Scorpio to order the STI Orchard to proceed to and deliver (amongst others) the Subject Cargo at Tanjung Pelapas, Malaysia via ship-to-ship (STS) discharge to the 318,445 dwt VLCC Chang Bai San to Hin Leong Trading (Pte) Ltd.

Scorpio received a letter of indemnity from Winson Oil for the STS operation, though the oil transfer between 5 to 6 March 2020 to the VLCC was conducted without production of the original BL.

OCBC claims for Subject Cargo from owner of STI Orchard

Subsequently in February 2021, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (OCBC) wrote to STI Orchard Shipping Company Limited, the owners of the STI Orchard, claiming to be the rightful owner of the Subject Cargo as it was in possession of the full set (3 out of 3) of the original Bill of Lading.

As such, OCBC demanded delivery of the Subject Cargo and held STI Orchard Shipping fully liable and responsible for the loss and/or non-delivery of the Subject Cargo; the bank has also obtained an Admiralty in rem Writ of Summons (HC/ADM 16/2021) which allowed it to potentially arrest and detain the STI Orchard.

Responding to OCBC’s demand, STI Orchard Shipping in March 2021 informed Scorpio of the development and required the charterer to indemnify any liability while providing security and funds to defend OCBC’s claim, amongst others.

Scorpia seeking Security and Protection from Winson Oil

Scorpio, which has earlier received a letter of indemnity from Winson Oil, is now in turn seeking security from the latter in order to protect STI Orchard Shipping and itself from OCBC’s claim.

“However, the Defendant had failed and/or refused and/or neglected to provide security in the form required by OCBC despite the multiple demands by the Plaintiff for the Defendant to do so,” it states.

“The Defendant has also failed and/or refused and/or neglected to fulfil its other obligations under the LOI, including but not limited to providing the Plaintiff funds for the purposes of defending OCBC’s claim in the suit HC/ADM 16/2021 commenced by OCBC against the Owners.”

Scorpio’s P&I Club Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association (Europe) Limited, meanwhile, has issued a letter of undertaking to OCBC assuring total liability of not more than USD 17 million (exact: USD 17,009,225.60) on behalf of STI Orchard Shipping and its vessel STI Orchard.

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 25 May, 2021

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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.

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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.

Related: Singapore: Hin Leong Founder OK Lim gets jail term slashed to 13.5 years

 

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

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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.

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July 21, 2026

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RESIZED Drew Beamer

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.

Related: Singapore: Director declares Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping’s inability to continue business
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping in court over DBS Bank bunker tanker loan
Related: Singapore: Bunker tanker “Coastal Neptune” arrested
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping, Coastal Logistics tankers enter S&P market

 

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

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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.

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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

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