Business

Singapore: Equatorial Marine Fuel launches sustainable energy business unit, commits towards multi-fuel future

“Strategic planning for decarbonisation has been complex. Existing experience, expertise and networks will be critical to transit to low- and zero-carbon marine fuels bunkering,” EMF Director tells Manifold Times.

Published

3 years ago

September 5, 2023

Admin

EMF sustainable energy unit Sea Reliance

Singapore bunker supplier Equatorial Marine Fuel Management Services Pte Ltd (EMF) has launched a sustainable energy business unit to support maritime decarbonisation, learned bunkering publication Manifold Times.

“The Sustainable Energy business unit started in July 2023 and we created this dedicated business unit to show our commitment towards a sustainable future,” explained Choong Zhen Mao, Executive Director of EMF, on Thursday (31 August).

“While EMF has already been actively participating in the maritime decarbonisation space for the past number of years, such is the complexities of maritime decarbonisation that we recognised the need for a more professional, systematic and sustainable approach to develop this new area of business.”

According to Mr Choong, the unit’s primary functions are to drive the company towards maritime decarbonisation through the provision of research and development support for deeper understanding of the technical and commercial viability of alternate marine fuels and other related projects.

“The new unit will plan and manage the development of EMF’s existing and new low- and zero-carbon marine fuels and sustainability projects and businesses,” he shared.

“This includes supporting and advising on the company’s various business units on decarbonisation regulations and requirements while engaging the wider maritime industry, institutes of higher learning, research agencies and technology firms for their insights.”

So Kah Meng, EMF’s Sustainable Energy Manager, was positive towards the adoption of biofuel and methanol as a marine fuel in the coming years.

“While there are several alternative fuels that are developing, EMF sees the main alternate marine fuels in the next few years to be LNG, biofuel and methanol,” he stated.

“This is, of course, subject to international regulatory changes. We have already seen IMO’s approval of the usage of certified sustainable biofuels to improve a ship’s CII rating, whereas the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) will be extended to maritime transport from 2024. It should not go unnoticed that the IMO will finalise a pricing mechanism, that will be enforced on maritime emissions, by 2025.

“Biofuel is a proven drop-in fuel. Methanol is increasingly gaining popularity and there are a good number of deliveries of dual fuel vessels that are methanol-ready from 2024 onwards.

“We are also looking at non-conventional options for our clients to be able to bind carbon credits with the fuels supplied, thereby providing a carbon neutral solution.”

The prospect of supporting ammonia and hydrogen as a bunker fuel has also been within the scope of EMF’s research.

“We have invested in studying ammonia as a marine fuel and kept in close contact with the various classification societies and relevant institutions to understand the fuel in relation to existing and future technologies,” added Mr Choong.

“As a leading bunker supplier in Singapore, we will have to be nimble and progressive in our business model to be able to provide different types of bunker fuels and decarbonisation solutions.”

In 2022, Equatorial was ranked by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore as the largest bunker supplier by volume in Singapore.

Photo credit: Equatorial Marine Fuel Management Services
Published: 5 September, 2023

Up Next

Singapore: MAN ES ammonia dual-fuel engines to be fitted in EPS-managed newbuilds

Don't Miss

Northern Lights orders third LNG-fuelled CO2 vessel from Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore

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

13 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

13 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

13 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