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Vale receives international award for innovative use of wind propulsion in shipping

Mining firm received the ‘Wind Propulsion Innovation Award’ presented by the International Windship Association in Glasgow, Scotland, at a COP 26 side event.
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Mining company Vale on Tuesday (16 November) said it has received the Wind Propulsion Innovation Award presented by the International Windship Association in Glasgow, Scotland, at a COP 26 side event which took place earlier in November.

The organisation encouraging the global use of wind propulsion in commercial shipping, awarded Vale the prize in the category for companies that encourage adoption of the type of technology through prototypes or commercial use – since May, the company’s fleet of ships has a Guaibamax equipped with the rotor sails.

In total, 84 nominations were submitted to a panel made up of members of the industry, academia, supporters of wind propulsion technology and people related to energy and sustainability areas. Vale was the winner in one of the four categories opened to the public vote.

According to the organisers, pioneering projects, innovative technologies, people and companies that are making a difference in advancing wind propulsion as an efficient, low-carbon and sustainable option for the commercial shipping fleet were recognised.

“This active listening and engagement with society is very important, and not only recognizes our work of the last few years, but mainly sends us a strong message of how important the climate change agenda and the transition to a low-carbon world is and how we must be part of the solution,” says Vale’s marine engineering manager, Rodrigo Bermelho.

The rotating sails are cylindrical rotors, four meters in diameter and 24 meters high, equivalent to a seven-story building.

During operation, the five rotors rotate at different speeds, depending on the environmental and operational conditions of the ship, to create a difference in pressure in order to move the ship forward, based on a phenomenon known as the Magnus effect. 

Still in the testing phase, rotor sails can offer an efficiency gain of up to 8% and a consequent reduction of up to 3,400 tons of CO2 equivalent per ship per year, said Vale.

If the pilot proves to be efficient, it is estimated that at least 40% of the fleet will be able to use the technology, which would impact on almost 1.5% annual emissions reduction by Vale’s iron ore shipping.

Carbon Target

The project to use rotor sails is part of Ecoshipping, a program created by Vale’s shipping area to meet the company’s challenge to reduce its carbon emissions, in line with what is being discussed at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Last year, the company announced an investment of at least USD 2 billion to reduce by 33% its scope emissions 1 and 2 until 2030. It also announced that it will reduce by 15% its scope emissions three until 2035, related to the value chain, of which shipping emissions are part, since the ships are not owned. 

The targets are aligned with the Paris Agreement. In August this year, Vale received the first Guiabamax ship with air lubrication installed. 

The technology creates an air bubble carpet on the ship’s underside, allowing the water to reduce friction with the hull. Conservative expectations are for a fuel reduction of around five to 8%, with a potential reduction of 4.4% in annual emissions from Vale’s iron ore shipping.

Efficiency

By adopting new technologies and renewing its fleet, Vale has heavily invested to incorporate state-of-the-art efficiency and environmental innovation in shipping. Since 2018, the company has been operating with second-generation Valemaxes and, since 2019, with Guaibamaxes, whose capacities are 400,000 tons and 325,000 tons, respectively. 

The vessels are among the most efficient in the world and can reduce CO2 equivalent emissions by up to 41% compared to a capesize ship, of 180,000 tons, built in 2011.

 

Photo credit: International Windship Association
Published: 19 November, 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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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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