Business

Argus Media: Greek bunker supplier Seka cleans tanks for IMO 2020

Seka will continue to supply high-sulphur bunker fuel in Piraeus and Kali Limenes after 2020, says company.

Published

7 years ago

September 6, 2019

Admin

Global energy and commodity price reporting agency Argus Media on Thursday (5 September) provided a IMO 2020 marine fuels industry related update:

Greek bunker supplier Seka has started cleaning its storage tanks to prepare for the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) upcoming 0.5pc sulphur cap on marine fuels.

Seka has already started tank cleaning in Kali Limenes, including the largest 20,000m³ high-sulphur fuel oil tank, the company said. Seka already has two 10,000m³ tanks for low-sulphur marine gasoil (MGO) in Kali Limenes, a major bunkering zone in the eastern Mediterranean with volumes of around 240,000 t/yr.

Demand for IMO-compliant fuels in Greece is not yet significant, and local bunker suppliers are preparing to have 0.5pc sulphur fuel oil available from the end of November. Seka believes demand for the more familiar low-sulphur MGO grade will increase significantly around the turn of the year, and that shipowners will test new and less familiar low-sulphur fuel oil grades alongside buying MGO.

Greek refineries are testing their new grades with shipowners. Seka is only buying bunker fuel from local refineries, but has not taken part in the testing. Seka has received some minor enquiries for 0.5pc fuel, one of them last week from a shipowner.

The refineries have not confirmed anything other than that they will supply the new 0.5pc sulphur grades by the end of October.

"In Piraeus, everybody is waiting for the refineries," Seka said. Piraeus is the largest bunker port in Greece, supplying around 3.6mn t/yr and making up around 90pc of Greek bunker volumes.

Seka will continue to supply high-sulphur bunker fuel in Piraeus and Kali Limenes after 2020. The most popular bunker grade, high-sulphur 380cst fuel oil, will be available in both ports, while the less common high-sulphur 180cst fuel oil is only confirmed to be available in Piraeus.

Seka is normally supplied by Greek refiner Hellenic Petroleum for its barge deliveries in the port of Piraeus, where it has four bunker barges. Deliveries in Piraeus are only made by barge. It is also supplied by Greek refiner Motor Oil Hellas for its ex-pipe deliveries near the Corinth refinery.

Source: Argus Media
Published: 6 September, 2019

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

16 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

17 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

17 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