Business

Dan-Bunkering trial: Denmark also bombed Syria, confirms defence counsel

Several Danish expert witnesses from the military were questioned in the case against Dan-Bunkering on day 10 of the trial at the Court in Odense.

Published

5 years ago

November 25, 2021

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Disclaimer: An online translation service was used in the production of the current editorial piece, which Manifold Times had reproduction permission from Danish Radio (DR).

Several Danish expert witnesses from the military were questioned in the case against Dan-Bunkering, Bunker Holding and top director Keld Demant during Thursday (18 November) on day 10 of the Dan-Bunkering trial, reports DR.

According to the indictment, Dan-Bunkering illegally supplied 172,000 tons of jet fuel, which was used by Russian planes for bombing raids in Syria from 2015 to 2017; allegedly breaking the EU sanctions.

However, Denmark also bombed Syria – this was argued by Dan-Bunkering’s defence counsel during interrogation of one of the experts.

Denmark also bombed in Syria

Russian fighter jets were busy in Syria during the period when Dan-Bunkering was accused of having supplied jet fuel for use by the Russian military in Syria.

The understanding appeared from witness statements from two officers who appeared in uniform on Thursday at the Court in Odense.

“The planes flew several sorties (missions, ed.) a day, which is not so usual,” explained Major Karsten Marrup, the head of the Center for Air Operations at the Defense Academy. He noted Russia put fighter jets into the Syrian war around October 1, 2015. In the following 16 months, they flew about 20,000 missions. The figure has been stated by the Russian Chief of Defence, and it is a number that most people think is very sensible, he said.

Another expert, Major Mikkel Storm Jensen, explained Russian airstrikes in the fall of 2016 played a crucial role in the fall of the Syrian rebel capital, Aleppo. And for the fact that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is still in power today.

Mikkel Storm Jensen, a military analyst at the Defense Academy, also explained the Russian fighter jets have predominantly used old-fashioned and very imprecise bombs in Syria.

The Russian fabrication is that it is the Islamic group IS that they are defeating. But the weight of Russia’s attack is predominantly against other opponents of President Assad, said Mikkel Storm Jensen from the witness stand.

However, Denmark has also bombed Syria, stated Dan-Bunkering’s defence lawyer, Jacob Skude Rasmussen. Skude Rasmussen projected a website from Operation Inherent Resolve [www.inherentresolve.mil] onto the large screens of the courtroom.

Denmark has twice, most recently in 2016, participated in the operation with F-16 aircraft that have bombed IS forces in Syria and Iraq. And the Danish flag is included as one of many flags on the operation’s website.

Jacob Skude Rasmussen: So can we agree that Denmark has bombed Syria?
Henrik Victor Nørgaard, Chief Adviser in the Armed Forces for the purchase of fuel: Yes.
Jacob Skude Rasmussen: Who provided the jet fuel for the mission?
Henrik Victor Nørgaard: The Americans did
Jacob Skude Rasmussen: But were there European suppliers?
Henrik Victor Nørgaard: I do not know

How the defenders will use the information about the Danish bombing raids in Syria was not further explained in court on Thursday.

Former Deputy Director of Bunker Holding remembered very little about the jet fuel deal

A former deputy director of Bunker Holding, Søren Høll, also took over the witness stand on Thursday.

He was involved in several internal mail correspondences about jet fuel during the period when Dan-Bunkering, according to the indictment, supplied jet fuel for use in Syria.

“We get more inquiries and orders for jet fuel. But we are aware that our insurance does not cover [this activity],” Søren Høll wrote to a group of office managers in November 2015. The period was shortly after Dan-Bunkering, according to the indictment, had started delivering jet fuel to a Russian customer who bought on behalf of Russia’s military.

Prosecutor Anders Rechendorf: Why did you write about it right at that time?
Søren Høll: I do not remember

In the email, Søren Høll wrote negotiations were underway with the group’s insurance company to cover deals in jet fuel. But Søren Høll could not remember in court on Thursday what had come out of it.

Anders Rechendorf: Did you consider which customers wanted jet fuel?
Søren Høll: I do not remember

A year later, Søren Høll got involved in another mail correspondence about jet fuel.

Bunker Holding’s credit manager wrote to a number of credit employees that the group saw more and more “exotic” business ideas, and that in the future such operations should pass Keld Demant or the group’s CFO.

And Deputy Director Søren Høll asked in an email back:

“What about jet fuel and gas oil? It probably belongs to what is to pass KRD or JKH [Keld Demant or the CFO].”

The response from the credit manager was that it did.

The mail exchange was from February 2017. At that time, Dan-Bunkering was still in the process of delivering jet fuel to the Russian customer. And Søren Høll wrote that he would send the message to those in charge of the dealers at Dan-Bunking’s office in Russia.

But in court on Thursday, Søren Høll did not remember the email exchange, he told the defence lawyer.

Søren Høll : You show it to me, and I can see that I have written it. But I do not remember it.

He also did not remember what happened next after the email.

Central Russian witnesses are unlikely to show up

When the court meets again on Tuesday (23 November), it is planned two Russian employees of Dan-Bunkering will appear and testify.

The two Russians run Dan-Bunkering’s office in Russia, and they are the ones who have been responsible for concluding the deals with jet fuel for the Russian military.

The behind-the-scenes police have via a lawyer written to the two men, who are father and son, and asked them to testify in the Court in Odense.

Since the start of the trial, it was unsure if the two have received the letter at all, but via a lawyer they have reported back in the week ended 21 November.

The lawyer does not report a direct cancellation for the two men, but explains in his letter about the problems they will encounter to give an explanation in the Danish case.

However, presiding judge Jens Lind said at the conclusion of Thursday’s court hearing that he will not cancel the Russian interpreter for Tuesday (23 November).

Jens Lind: It will be a pity if the two Russian witnesses come and there is no one to interpret.

Note: Earlier Manifold Times coverage regarding Bunker Holding/Dan-Bunkering’s alleged breaches of EU sanctions can be found below:

Photo credit: Jatin singh from Unsplash
Source: DR
Published: 25 November, 2021

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

10 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

10 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

10 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