Business

Singapore officials visit Norway and Greece for maritime collaboration talks

Meetings focused on enhancing maritime collaborations between Singapore and Norway and Greece, especially in decarbonisation and digitalisation initiatives.

Published

4 years ago

June 8, 2022

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Singapore’s Senior Minister of State (SMS) for Transport Chee Hong Tat made a visit to Norway and Greece from 29 May to 6 June 2022, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Tuesday (7 June).

SMS Chee was accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and MPA.

Engagement with Maritime Officials and Companies in Norway and Greece

In Oslo, SMS Chee met Mr Vidar Ulriksen, State Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Industries and Fisheries, Norway. The meeting reinforced the strong maritime cooperation between both countries. Both sides also exchanged views on how the two Governments can work together to support the transformation of the maritime sector.

In Athens, SMS Chee called on Mr Ioannis Plakiotakis, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Greece. Both parties affirmed the strong and longstanding ties between Singapore and Greece as key maritime partners.

SMS Chee also met with representatives across the maritime industry value chain including from shipping companies, maritime services and industry associations in Norway and Greece.

Norwegian and Greek maritime companies have a significant presence in Singapore, contributing to our economy and providing good jobs for locals.

The meetings focused on enhancing maritime collaborations between Singapore and Norway and Greece, in particular Singapore’s commitment to work together with the industry and other entities to spearhead decarbonisation and digitalisation initiatives. The meetings also highlighted the need for the maritime community to better attract and reskill talent for future industry needs.

“Norway and Greece are important maritime nations with rich heritage, deep expertise, and vibrant entrepreneurship,” said SMS Chee.

“We value our partnerships with their governments and businesses. The transformation of the global maritime industry through digitalisation and decarbonisation will create new economic opportunities for Maritime Singapore.”

“We can learn from one another and work together to create a greener and better future of the maritime industry.”

Singapore Pavilion at Posidonia 2022

SMS Chee attended the opening ceremony of the Singapore Pavilion as Guest-of-Honour on 6 June at Posidonia 2022. One of the largest international shipping exhibitions on the global calendar, the 27th Posidonia event was held at the Athens Metropolitan Expo from 6 to 10 June 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibition brought the international community of maritime thought leaders and experts together to discuss pertinent maritime issues such as decarbonisation, digitalisation, and human capital development over high-profile conferences, seminars, and technical workshops.

Co-organised by the Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI) and the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF), the 203sqm Singapore Pavilion was designed to showcase Singapore’s maritime capabilities and maritime innovations, as well as to facilitate strategic expansion of business networks with international maritime partners for Singapore’s maritime companies. This is the 9th consecutive staging of the Singapore Pavilion at the biennial event since ASMI and SMF first participated in 2004.

Supported by Enterprise Singapore, nine maritime companies from Singapore participated in this year’s tradeshow to showcase the full spectrum of their expertise in shipbuilding and repair, supply of engines and equipment, and provision of shipping solutions.

Accelerating maritime decarbonisation with Eastern Pacific Shipping

Along with the opening of the Singapore Pavilion at Posidonia 2022, SMS Chee also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between MPA and a consortium comprising Eastern Pacific Shipping, Hyundai Heavy Industries, and American Bureau of Shipping.

The MOU seeks to review and design ocean-going ammonia dual-fuel gas tankers that will sail under the Singapore Flag. This supports the greening of the Singapore Registry of Ships, one of the key pillars of the Maritime Singapore Decarbonisation Blueprint, in which MPA had set the target of having at least 50% of the SRS fleet to be classified as Green Ships under MPA’s Green Ship Programme by 2050.

Note: For more information on exhibitors at the Singapore Pavilion, refer to Annex A here.

Photo credit: Ministry of Transport / Chee Hong Tat
Published: 8 June, 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

7 hours ago

July 21, 2026

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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.

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

7 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

7 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