Business

Singapore: Sembcorp Marine Commercial Executive charged for alleged corruption offences

Between 2015 and 2021, Balakrishnan was alleged to have corruptly obtained and attempted to obtain gratifications in the form of cash totalling at least SGD 202,877 from nine contractors, says CPIB.

Published

3 years ago

August 21, 2023

Admin

Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Board (CPIB) on Wednesday (16 August) said Balakrishnan Govindasamy (Balakrishnan), 61, a Commercial Executive of Sembcorp Marine Integrated Yard Private Limited at the material time, was charged in court for allegedly committing corruption offences.

Between 2015 and 2021, Balakrishnan was alleged to have corruptly obtained and attempted to obtain gratifications in the form of cash totalling at least SGD 202,877 from nine contractors representing different companies.

“These gratifications were meant as an inducement or reward for advancing the business interests of these contractors with Sembcorp Marine Integrated Yard Private Limited,” CPIB said in a statement.

“For his alleged offences, Balakrishnan faces 14 charges punishable under Section 6(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, of which five charges are amalgamated under Section 124(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code and punishable under Section 124(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code.”

CPIB added Singapore adopts a strict zero-tolerance approach towards corruption.

“Any person who is convicted of a corruption offence under Section 6 of the Prevention of Corruption Act can be fined up to S$100,000 or sentenced to imprisonment of up to five years or both. Any person who is convicted of an offence under Section 124 of the Criminal Procedure Code can face two times the amount of punishment liable for that offence.”

CPIB said companies are “strongly advised” to put in place robust procedures in areas such as procurement and internal audit to prevent falling victim to corrupt acts by their employees.

Guidance for companies on measures to prevent corruption can be found in PACT: A Practical Anti-Corruption Guide for Businesses in Singapore, which is available on CPIB’s website.

“Companies are also strongly encouraged to obtain certification under the Singapore Standard (SS) ISO 37001 – Anti-Bribery Management Systems, which is designed to help companies implement or enhance an anti-bribery management system to reduce corporate risk and costs related to bribery,” it added.

Seatrium was formed following the merger of Sembcorp Marine and Keppel Offshore & Marine (KOM) in April.

In June, Seatrium said CPIB on 31 May released a statement stating that it has commenced investigations against the company and individuals from the company on alleged corrupt offences that occurred in Brazil.

“The company believes that this relates to events that occurred prior to 2015 and to the Sembcorp Marine group in existence at that time,” it said in a company announcement.

“Those events predate the merger with Keppel Offshore & Marine which only took place in February 2023.”

Photo credit: Pepi Stojanovski from Unsplash
Published: 21 August, 2023

Related Topics:Business - Events Legal - Corruption Legal - Crime

Up Next

TotalEnergies-chartered VLCC supplied with LNG bunker fuel in Rotterdam

Don't Miss

ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

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

14 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

14 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

14 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