Business

FOBAS: Organic Chlorides in Singapore – CIMAC update

CIMAC paper finds there is a correlation between elevated levels of Chlorinated Organic Compounds and equipment failure in its cause-and effect evaluation.

Published

4 years ago

October 27, 2022

Admin

Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) on Wednesday (26 October) released a bulletin highlighting International Council on Combustion Engines (CIMAC ) working group’s recent paper summarising the situation around the organic chloride contamination cases earlier this year in Singapore and updates on the cases:

We would like to highlight the recently released update and informative paper from CIMAC Working Group on marine Fuels. The original document from CIMAC can be downloaded here. Lloyd’s Register FOBAS has a strong presence in the CIMAC working group and our aim is to represent our clients’ interests in all areas we possibly can. The document provides a summary of the situation around the organic chloride contamination cases earlier this year in Singapore and follows on from updates and case summary released previously by MPA in Singapore.

Back in late February/early March, we had reports from one or two vessels of problems including fuel pump damage while using high sulphur fuels bunkered from Singapore. After detailed investigation, it was discovered that organic chlorides or COC’s (Chlorinated Organic Compounds) were present in the fuel at very high concentrations. Once it was clear this was not just a one-off incident, we issued an alert to all our clients on 29th March, with a further update on 14th April as well as directly contacting many vessels who, based on their bunkering information, were deemed most at risk of having been supplied with contaminated fuel. Although many vessels did face problems, we were able to preemptively warn many more to then have time to test their fuels before being put into use or de-bunkered.

It has been our stance from past experiences that organic chlorides should not be present in any marine fuel and that under certain conditions can cause corrosive damage to system components including fuel pumps. As described in the CIMAC statement, there is a clear cause and effect link that can be drawn and clear understanding that they should not be present.

As a solution provider to our client base, we offer specific testing to determine the presence and concentration of organic chlorides, however this should ideally be controlled on the supplier’s side, and we do see this as a rare incident that hopefully can be avoided in the future. There is also ongoing work in the industry to standardise the ASTM D7845 organic chloride test method to determine the specific organic species, which we have already applied successfully; recognising that the supplier’s responsibility to meet the limit has been set against the test method for Total Organic Chlorine EN 14077 as highlighted in the CIMAC paper. As ever we will be monitoring fuel quality and alert vessels to any signs of similar incidents in the future.

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 27 October, 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

18 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