Legal

BP Singapore bunker trial: Former Market Manager takes to stand as witness

Eric Hu confirms Koh’s claims of limited knowledge in English and explains how PPT managed to become BP Singapore’s largest counterparty.

Published

7 years ago

May 9, 2019

Admin

Manifold Times was present at the BP Singapore bunker trial on Tuesday (7 May). The following report represents a brief extract of the day’s trial:

The BP Singapore bunker trial continued on Tuesday (7 May) at the State Courts of Singapore with the cross examination of Eric Hu, the former Market Manager of BP Singapore Pte Ltd (2003 to 2010) and the ex-Key Account Manager of BP Taiwan (1996 to 2003) as witness.

Hu confirmed the claim of Koh Seng Lee, the sole shareholder and executive director of Pacific Prime Trading (PPT), of only being able to understand simple English when asked by Megan Chia, Partner at Tan Rajah & Cheah, acting for Koh.

“We communicated largely using either Mandarin or Hokkien in more than 99% of the time with very little English only limited to single words or [marine fuel] terminology,” he testified, while adding examples of “380” and “viscosity” as terms being used in English.

According to Hu, Koh sometimes had to attend meetings involving BP colleagues from non-mandarin speaking countries.

“Although he was involved in those meetings they were internal meetings among colleagues that will be speaking in English,” he said.

“We will let him speak when we need him to give further information. If he was not able to fully express himself, we will be able to help him.

“There are not many times when we had such meetings with Mr Koh, but every time when we had such meetings we have to help him.”

Among other matters testified, Hu explained to the court how PPT managed to successfully compete against more than ten bunkering firms to become BP Singapore’s largest counterparty.

Hu estimated PPT and Vermont Singapore respectively taking between 40 to 50% and 30 to 40% of BP Singapore bunker sales volume in 2010, when he left BP Singapore.

“From my own personal view it was because PPT could fulfil a lot of the requirements set by BP; therefore, it rose from a small counterparty which had small share of the business to replace other counterparties with bigger share,” he said.

“And for its operations in the market it did not violate any of the BP requirements or criteria.”

Among BP’s criteria is the ability to purchase bunker fuel from BP’s ex-wharf operations for delivery through BP-vetted bunker tankers, a commitment to the development and growth of BP bunker sales quantity, and the safety and quality control of bunker oil, Hu further told the court.

“BP Marine has strict requirement for barges and we trust all counterparties to buy from us ex-wharf to use our barges […] for those who are unable to meet these requirements we will reduce business volumes for them,” he stated.

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 9 May, 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

21 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

21 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

Winding up

Singapore: Liquidator of Nan Shan Maritime Pte Ltd issues notice of dividend

Third interim dividend to admitted unsecured claims of Nan Shan Maritime is payable from 15 July, according to Government Gazette notice.

Published

6 days ago

July 16, 2026

Admin

A notice of dividend for Nan Shan Maritime Pte Ltd, which is currently in creditors’ voluntary liquidation, was published on the Government Gazette on Wednesday (15 July).

The following are the details of the notice:

Name of Company : Nan Shan Maritime (Pte.) Ltd.(In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No. : 201701967H
Address of Registered Office : 10 Anson Road, #10-10, International Plaza, Singapore 079903
Amount per centum : 5.00 Per Centum of all admitted unsecured, claims
First and Final or Otherwise : Third Interim
When Payable : 15 July 2026
Where Payable : Entitlements will be made by way of cheque.

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 16 July, 2026