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Magnets on MFMs: Criminal syndicate convicted over MFM tampering offences; cases closed

Criminal syndicate’s tampering with MFMs on bunker tankers Southernpec 6 and Southernpec 7 conceptualised by three masterminds and carried out by cargo officers on board, according to joint statement.

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Annotation 2021 09 30 113916

Nine members of a criminal syndicate have been convicted in 2020 and 2021 for offences under the Computer Misuse Act, for using industrial strength magnets to tamper with the Mass Flow Meter (MFM) equipment on board bunker tankers Southernpec 6 and Southernpec 7 to cheat buyers of marine fuel oil (MFO).

According to a Thursday (30 September) joint statement from Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) and Singapore Police Force (SPF), buyers were cheated of USD 336,930.63 worth of MFO in total.

The outcomes of the cases, jointly investigated by MPA and SPF, against three masterminds and six cargo officers are set out in the table below:

S/N Name (Alias) Role Date of Sentencing Sentence
1 Ang Heng Lye (Eric) Mastermind 21 June 2021 35 months’ imprisonment
2 Tay Tien Whui (Jason) Mastermind 4 August 2021 34 months and 2 weeks’ imprisonment
3 Kek Kah Hui (Dylan) Mastermind 26 June 2021 34 months’ imprisonment
4 Ang Heng Chye Cargo officer 26 August 2020 19 months’ imprisonment
5 Heng Meng Wee, Stanley Cargo officer 28 July 2021 18 months and 2 weeks’ imprisonment
6 Leong Wai Chew, Lionel Cargo officer 27 July 2021 13 months’ imprisonment
7 Chua Yew Hui, Andy Cargo officer 9 June 2020 9 months’ imprisonment
8 Chua Yan Jing, Gab Cargo officer 30 September 2020 7 months’ imprisonment
9 Kek Kah Hee Cargo officer 13 November 2020 2 weeks’ imprisonment

 

“To uphold the integrity of the bunker process in the Port of Singapore, MPA has mandated the use of MFMs for the delivery of MFO as it provides assurance to both buyers and suppliers on the delivered quantity of MFO, and enhances transparency in the bunkering process,” they stated.

“The authorities take a serious view of such criminal activities and will not hesitate to take firm action against those who commit offences that undermine Singapore’s international reputation as a trusted shipping and bunkering hub.”

The criminal syndicate’s tampering with MFMs on bunker tankers Southernpec 6 and Southernpec 7 was conceptualised by the masterminds, and carried out by the cargo officers on board.

The syndicate’s illegal operations were discovered during an enforcement check by MPA in April 2019.

MPA revoked the bunker craft operator and bunker supplier licence of Southernpec (Singapore) Pte Ltd with effect from 8 May 2019 and 29 May 2019 respectively.

The modus operandi of the syndicate is set out in Annex A (below):

Annotation 2021 09 30 113916

Related: Magnets on MFMs: Director of Urban Energy to serve 34 months’ imprisonment over bunkering offences
RelatedMagnets on MFMs: Trial ends with 35-month imprisonment sentence for Director of Seahub Energy
RelatedMagnets on MFMs: Trial ends with ten-month imprisonment for Bunker Clerk of “Fragrance”
RelatedMagnets on MFMs: Driver posed as Southernpec bunker crew to commit MFM tampering
RelatedMagnets on MFMs: Trial starts for former bunker clerk of “Consort Justice”
RelatedMagnets on MFMs: First suspect charged over MFM tampering in landmark case
RelatedMagnets on MFMs: “Consort Justice” crew pleads ‘not guilty’ to tampering charge
RelatedSingapore: Southernpec bunker supplier licence revoked by MPA
RelatedOfficial: MPA revokes Southernpec bunker craft operator licence
RelatedMagnets on MFMs: MPA suspends Southernpec bunker craft license
RelatedMagnets on MFMs: Case of ‘a few bad apples spoiling the basket’
RelatedMagnets on MFMs: Issue a breach of ‘Operational Security’ under TR 48 (updated)
RelatedSingapore: Sea Hub Energy exits MPA bunker craft operator list

 

Photo credit: Attorney-General’s Chambers
Published: 30 September, 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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RESIZED Sora Shimazaki on Pexels

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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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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