Business

Argus Media: Fujairah suppliers offered contaminated bunker fuel

It is not easy to detect COC as a special and costly test needs to be performed and only three laboratories in the world can do it, says a supplier.

Published

4 years ago

April 18, 2022

Admin

Bunker suppliers in Fujairah in the UAE have been receiving offers to purchase marine fuel from vessels that bought contaminated high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) in Singapore.

14 April, 2022

The Maritime Authority of Singapore (MPA) was notified on 14 March that a number of ships had been supplied with HSFO containing high concentration levels of Chlorinated Organic Compounds (COC).

The contaminated fuel was supplied by trading firm Glencore to Chinese bunker supplier PetroChina, which in turn supplied about 200 ships in the Port of Singapore. “Of these, about 80 ships have reported various issues with their fuel pumps and engines,” MPA said.

A number of Fujairah bunker suppliers and traders confirmed that they have been receiving enquiries from shipping firms about the possibility of unloading, or “de-bunkering”, the contaminated fuel. “Last week we received three enquiries about de-bunkering in Fujairah, but hardly anyone is keen on buying it,” a Fujairah supplier said.

“If these vessels want to sell contaminated bunker fuel oil in the Middle East, then Fujairah is their best option as most of the other bunkering locations in the region are basically one supplier and mostly governmental companies,” another trader said.

One source mentioned a supplier that might be interested, but this could not be confirmed.

Bunker suppliers tend not to be keen on acquiring contaminated product as reblending or diluting it carries additional costs and does not necessarily ensure its safety for vessel engines.

“We have to be very cautious because the nature of the contamination means heavy diluting may not get rid of the problem,” a shipping source said.

Bunker fuel supplied in Singapore must meet ISO 8217 international standards. The fuel supplied by Glencore adhered to that, but ISO 8217 does not test for COC. “It is not easy to detect COC because you need a special and very expensive test to be carried out and only three laboratories in the world can do this test,” according to a supplier.

With around 140,000t of off-specification bunker fuel supplied, some could potentially be offered as slops or used by power utilities, according to traders.

By Elshan Aliyev

Photo credit and source: Argus Media
Published: 18 April, 2022

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.

Published

17 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

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.

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

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.

Published

18 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

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.

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

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.

Published

18 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

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