Business

NYK Line to acquire 50% of bunker supplier Avenir LNG from Stolt-Nielsen

Stolt-Nielsen and NYK Line will expand their future small-scale LNG and LNG bunkering opportunities through the joint venture.

Published

4 months ago

March 17, 2026

Admin

NYK Line to acquire 50% of bunker supplier Avenir LNG from Stolt-Nielsen

Stolt-Nielsen Limited (SNI) and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) on Monday (16 March) announced that, through Stolt-Nielsen’s subsidiary Stolt-Nielsen Gas, Stolt-Nielsen has entered into a share purchase agreement to sell 50% of bunker supplier Avenir LNG to NYK Line.

Through the agreement, both companies will form a strategic joint venture in Avenir LNG.

Avenir LNG was founded in 2017 and has grown into a leading player in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering sector, operating a global fleet of LNG bunker vessels.

Stolt-Nielsen and NYK Line will expand their future small-scale LNG and LNG bunkering opportunities through the joint venture, supporting the global transition to LNG and bio-LNG for marine fuel and other industrial applications.

Following a wave of dual-fuel LNG vessel orders in recent years, LNG is rapidly being adopted as a practical and scalable fuel that enables shipping to achieve emissions reductions. This new joint venture in Avenir LNG underscores the commitment of Stolt-Nielsen and NYK Line to sustainable energy solutions for the maritime industry.

Udo Lange, Chief Executive Officer of Stolt-Nielsen, said: “By entering into this joint venture, we are developing our long-standing partnership with NYK Line and supporting Avenir LNG’s position in small-scale LNG supply and bunkering. NYK’s experience in shipping and logistics, together with potential market opportunities arising from the continued expansion of LNG-fueled vessels, is expected to add value to Avenir LNG, its customers, and our shareholders.

“This transaction also reflects Stolt-Nielsen’s commitment to supporting sustainable energy solutions across global shipping supply chains by facilitating safe and reliable access to LNG fuel. I would like to thank and congratulate the Stolt-Nielsen, Avenir LNG and NYK Line teams for their contributions to this important transaction.”

Hironobu Watanabe, managing executive officer of NYK Line, said: “NYK has long built a strong relationship with Stolt‑Nielsen in the chemical tanker business. With this foundation of trust and proven partnership, and we are very pleased to establish a new Joint venture through Avenir LNG.

“As the maritime industry accelerates its efforts toward decarbonisation, LNG and bio-LNG fuel has become more essential and practical role in supporting a sustainable energy transition. Through this new partnership, we are confident that Avenir LNG will be well positioned to meet the growing demands of the market and deliver enhanced value to the supply chain.

“We will continue to develop our partnership with Stolt‑Nielsen while advancing our initiatives in LNG and bio‑LNG bunkering, contributing to a more sustainable future for the maritime industry.”

Jonathan Quinn, Managing Director of Avenir LNG, said: “We are very pleased to welcome NYK Line as a strategic partner in Avenir LNG alongside Stolt-Nielsen. This joint venture brings together two highly respected shipping and logistics groups with complementary strengths and a shared long-term vision for LNG as a marine fuel. NYK Line’s global reach and operational expertise will enhance our ability to develop the business, accelerate the development of LNG bunkering solutions, and support our customers’ decarbonisation strategies as the market continues to mature.”

Completion of the transaction is expected to occur in the middle of 2026, subject to customary approvals, including regulatory approvals.

Photo credit: Avenir LNG
Published: 17 March, 2026

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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