Business

Guangzhou unveils grand plans for its bonded bunkering sector at launch event

Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong plans to develop a “super bunkering hub” in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, says official.

Published

4 years ago

March 8, 2022

Admin

Editor’s Note [12 April 2022]: Article updated to reflect the correct English company name of 广州元亨仓储有限公司, which is Guangzhou Circle Storage Co., Ltd.

The following article published by Manifold Times on 8 March was sourced from China’s domestic market through a local correspondent. An online translation service was used in the production of the current editorial piece:

About 250 delegates attended the Guangzhou International Voyage Vessel Bonded Oil Bunkering Launch Event and International Oil Merchant Cooperation and Development Conference at the Guangzhou Yuexiu International Conference Center on 28 February.

The meeting was presided by Deng Maoying, Deputy Secretary General of the Municipal Government, and other Chinese officials who celebrated the increasing momentum of Guangzhou’s bunkering sector which received further support from the China’s central government in 2021.

Hong Qian, Director of the Municipal Bureau of Commerce, and Dong Ke, the Mayor of Nansha District, met with Guangzhou Circle Storage Co., Ltd. [广州元亨仓储有限公司] ~~Guangzhou Yuanheng Warehousing Co., Ltd.~~ and Guangzhou Development Bipi Oil Products which have been approved to carry out bonded bunkering operations for ships on international voyages.

A total of seven bonded bunker oil-related projects with a contract value of RMB 1.3 billion (USD 210 million) was signed at the event.

The China (Guangzhou) International Trade “Single Window” Information Service Platform for Bunker Fuel Supply for International Navigation Vessels, and an exclusive “Bunker Insurance” service provided by the Bank of China Guangzhou Branch were also simultaneously launched.

China Shipowners Association welcomes development

Bonded bunkering operations are an important indicator to measure the internationalisation level and supporting service level of the port, according to Zhang Shouguo, Executive Vice President of the China Shipowners Association.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has the largest seaport group and airport group in the world. In 2021, Guangdong Province strongly supported Guangzhou City by implementing a pilot project to license bonded marine fuel operations. The development will promote bonded bunkering operations in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

On 18 February 2022, the “Notice of the General Office of the Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government on Printing and Distributing the Interim Measures for the Administration of Bonded Bunkering of Ships on International Voyages in Guangzhou” was officially issued.

This marked the official launch of Guangzhou’s pilot program for undertaking bunkering licenses for ships on international voyages. Enterprises can apply to Guangzhou to carry out bonded bunkering business for ships on international voyages, and carry out direct supply of bonded oil within the scope of Guangdong Province.

“Ship bonded oil bunkering operations, which coordinate the direct supply business of bonded oil in cross-customs areas in the waters of the province, will help accelerate the development of the international shipping industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area,” stated Huang Xin.

Construction of “super bunkering hub” in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

Chen Jie, Deputy Mayor and Secretary General of Guangzhou City, said Guangzhou will firmly grasp the opportunity of the pilot project which allowed the provincial government to directly offer bonded bunkering licenses to oil companies.

Next, Guangzhou will work together with Shenzhen and Hong Kong to promote the development of a “super bunkering hub” in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to further optimise the region’s bonded marine oil market structure.

Dong Ke, the Mayor of Nansha District, said it has issued supporting policies to subsidise the rental of oil storage tanks in Nansha District and partially finance the installation of bonded bunker fuel supply monitoring facilities and information management systems to reduce operating costs for new bonded oil supply enterprises.

In addition, Nansha Customs has implemented business models such as paperless customs declarations and “reporting after supply” to improve the efficiency of bunkering operations.

It is also actively exploring various supervision modes such as “multiple supply from one ship” and “separate declaration” for outside port bunkering operations, amongst others, in order to enhance the business flexibility of bonded oil supply enterprises and improve the utilisation rate of local oil depots.

Photo credit: Loeng Lig on Unsplash
Published: 8 March, 2022

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

14 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

14 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

14 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