Editor: The article below has been edited at 8pm (Singapore time) on 25 July to reflect the change in the next hearing date.
The accuracy of revised bunker data provided by BP to the State Courts of Singapore as evidence against former BP Singapore Regional Marine Manager Clarence Chang and Koh Seng Lee, the sole shareholder and executive director of Pacific Prime Trading (PPT) was a key topic of discussion on Wednesday morning’s session.
James Ong, Regional Security Adviser (Asia Pacific) at BP, took the stand to present a new set of data compiled by the oil major to aid in the court process; he claimed the new data unfilters earlier information earlier withheld by BP lawyers.
However, the printout of the new set of data omitted certain information found within the original document with data pertaining to BP bunker sales figures leading Chelva Retnam Rajah, Partner of Tan Rajah & Cheah, who represents Koh to probe further.
A key point was certain summations and a missing ‘barge’ column from the original files dating October 2008 which was omitted from the new documents being presented to court.
“Sorry, what you mean that sometimes the printout may not reflect from the source? Mr Ong, my question to you is what do you mean when you say that sometimes information from the source document is sometimes not printed out?” Rajah asked.
“It’s printing […],” replied Ong.
“What you mean it’s printing? You say there is an error in your printer, are you suggesting this?” Rajah questioned.
“When you print out from the excel file into PDF you need to drag and select; for the October 2008 printout I will not rule out I missed the selection of the column barge for the printout,” said Ong.
“So it may have been human error on your part?” Rajah further asked.
“Yes, thank you for that,” Ong confirmed.
Andre Maniam, Senior Counsel at WongPartnership, presenting Chang asked why the new document, which took into account BP’s bunker sales volumes at Singapore, omitted sales of marine gas oil (MGO).
“Mr Ong my understanding is MGO is one category of bunker fuel so if we want to understand the total delivered volume of bunker fuel for Singapore we should filter out all the none Singapore ports but we should leave in MGO together with all the grades of fuel oil right?” Questioned Maniam.
Ong replied, “Yes.”
“Why did you filter out?” Maniam asked.
“I was under direction by my legal [to do so],” said Ong.
The trial continues 26 July August 7.
Related: BP Singapore bunker bribery case update: CPIB officer takes to the stand
Related: UPDATE: BP Singapore bunker bribery case
Related: BP Singapore bunker bribery case continues
Photo credit: Chensiyuan / CC BY-SA 4.0
Published: 25 July, 2018
Helmsman LLC lawyers discuss pausing of LC payment, what it means for parties buying ships from companies of a group affected by fraud allegations, and trafficking in spent bills of lading.
Ship captain jailed 5.5 years from profiting in MGO theft from Shell’s Pulau Bukom refinery at Singapore.
Vessel was discovered 110 nautical miles from the Tok Bali Estuary on 18 March and the Captain was unable to produce any identification documents, said MMEA.
Taiwan and Hong Kong shipping companies added to blacklist over sanctioned activities performed in 2018.
The oil tanker Adafera and bunker tanker Singa Berlian detained over ‘trespassing and entry without reporting’ in Johor waters on Tuesday morning.
No quarantine required if vessels have not called at Brazil, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and South Africa during the 21 days prior to arrival at Hong Kong port, according to Marine Department notice.
Transferred shares of 40 subsidiaries to BVI firm after tribunal awarded claims in favour of Trinity Seatrading; YSPL has also filed a civil complaint against DNV and Liberian ship registry at Nanjing Maritime Court.
ADNOC L&S, Gulf Energy Maritime, Cockett Marine Oil, Mideast/Bahri Ship Management and VPS experts present their views on biofuel bunker hurdles at the VPS Biofuels Seminar in Dubai on 16 March.
‘Bunker barges operate in very local areas so these vessels call at port very often which means it will be a good fit for women with families,’ states Elpi Petraki, President of WISTA International.
“Our Singapore branch is under preparation and is expected to start business at the republic before June 2023,” Managing Director Darcy Wong tells bunkering publication Manifold Times in an interview.
Development to supply B35 biodiesel blend officially takes effect on 1 February; local bunker suppliers will be able to deliver updated spec within March onwards, once current stocks of B30 avails run out.
VPS, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Wilhelmsen Ship Management, and INTERTANKO executives offered a multitude of perspectives to 73 attendees during the VPS Biofuels Seminar, reports Manifold Times.
