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WSC: FuelEU can do more for the decarbonisation of shipping – in the EU and internationally

FuelEU Maritime proposal defines ship owners and ship operators to share responsibility in implementing shipping decarbonisation measures.
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The World Shipping Council on Tuesday (26 October) released a post welcoming FuelEU’s proposal and its impact to the shipping industry and the environment.

As part of the EU Green Deal, the FuelEU Maritime Regulation intended to promote demand for lower greenhouse gas fuels can play an important role in shipping’s journey towards decarbonisation.

In a position paper published today, the World Shipping Council (WSC), representing 90% of international liner shipping, welcomes the FuelEU proposal as an opportunity to drive progress towards EU targets and contribute to the decarbonisation of international shipping. 

However, the proposal’s actual impact will hinge on optimising the geographical scope of FuelEU and making sure fuel availability keeps pace with fuel use requirements.

WSC strongly supports the EC’s proposed ‘well-to-wake’ lifecycle approach for greenhouse gas intensity, as a comprehensive, globally accepted scientific approach. It is, however, crucial that the fuel use obligations outlined in the proposal are matched by measures to ensure the supply of suitable fuels and infrastructure through RED and AFIR. The legal requirement to use certain fuels should be contingent on their availability.

“When working towards a shared objective to minimize total greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the climate impact of shipping, a full lifecycle perspective is the only logical approach. That is also why FuelEU alignment with RED and AFIR is so important in ensuring the provision of genuinely clean fuels. Even if all the vessels in the world were able to run on alternative fuels and the sector is working hard to make that happen it will make no difference for our climate if that fuel is not available from clean sources,” says John Butler, President & CEO of World Shipping Council.

Climate progress for the EU – and internationally

The importance of AFIR and RED to the success of FuelEU also has a bearing on its geographic scope. These measures to ensure the supply of clean fuels apply within the EU, and the same geographic scope should apply for the fuel use obligation. As highlighted in the EU Impact Assessment, an extra-territorial scope for FuelEU presents real risks of overlapping regional and global policy. With that comes a substantial risk of the EU failing to influence international shipping as intended. A consistent intra-EU scope for FuelEU would avoid the pitfalls of overlapping policies and generate the desired climate impact for the Union whilst supporting international progress through the IMO with the EU in a leadership position.

Faster progress through synergies

The FuelEU Maritime proposal’s definition of the responsible entity recognises well that ship owners and ship operators share responsibility for the implementation of shipping decarbonisation measures. Truly effective actions require synergies between vessel technology, design and operation, and the proposed company definition gives all parties an incentive to work for GHG intensity reduction. 

It is also consistent with the international nature of fleet operation, ownership, and control, supporting EU priorities for IMO agreements and measures to reduce GHGs in shipping.

WSC also sees the value of FuelEU’s proposed pooling of compliance amongst ships, an innovative and practical way to encourage companies to invest in ever more efficient vessels due to the fleet wide effect.

“The EU has a unique opportunity to strengthen, motivate and complement global policy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in international shipping. We are committed to working with EU Institutions to achieve the Green Deal’s goals through good policy that will enable us to move as fast as possible to zero emission shipping,” concludes John Butler.

 

Photo credit:  João Silveira from Unsplash
Published: 27 October, 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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July 21, 2026

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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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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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July 21, 2026

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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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