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IBIA announces new board of directors

IBIA announced the appointment of Constantinos Capetanakis as Chairman, Adrian Tolson as Vice Chairman and Nigel Draffin as Honorary Treasurer.

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IBIA announces new board of directors

The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) on Wednesday (3 April) announced the newly elected leadership team to drive the Association’s strategic initiatives and represent the interests of its members globally.

Effective 1 April, the following individuals will serve as members of the IBIA Board of Directors.

“Please join IBIA in welcoming Constantinos Capetanakis, Adrian Tolson and Nigel Draffin to their officers’ roles,” IBIA said in a statement. 

Chair: Constantinos Capetanakis, Star Bulk

In 2014 Constantinos joined Star Bulk, serving as General Manager of a number of private vessels and subsequently as Executive Vice President – Control Director of the group’s procurement arm, Ship Procurement Services SA. Since 2019 Constantinos is serving as Star Bulk’s Bunker Director, responsible for bunkering procurement / strategy and Star Bulk’s cooperation with bunker industry stakeholders.

Vice Chair: Adrian Tolson, 2050 Marine Energy LLC

Adrian Tolson is the owner of 2050 Marine Energy and is widely recognised as one of the shipping industry’s leading marine energy experts. With more than 35 years of experience, he has both detailed knowledge and unique insight into the bunker supply chain and its many related infrastructure developments.

Hon Treasurer: Nigel Draffin, Consultant

Nigel Draffin, with a career starting at sea as an engineer for Shell in 1966 and transitioning ashore in 1979, has contributed extensively to the maritime and bunker industry. He’s a technical consultant with over 25 years of experience, a founder and former chairman (2012) and Treasurer (2022) of IBIA and was re-elected to the Board in 2023. Draffin has authored 13 books on Bunkering and Shipping and is an esteemed speaker at industry conferences.

Newly elected Board Members:

  • Ufuk Erinc, CEO, Unerco Petrol Urunleri Denizcilik ve Ticaret A.S
  • Deanna MacDonald, CEO, BunkerTrace Ltd (UK)
  • Maria Skipper Schwenn, Director of Regulatory and Public Affairs, Bunker Holding Group

Continuing Board Members:

  • Eugenia Benavides Buitrago, Marine Fuels Director, Terpel S.A.
  • Claudia Beumer, Owner, C4 fuel BV
  • Rahul Choudhuri, President of Strategic Partnerships, Veritas Petroleum Services (Asia) Pte Ltd
  • Timothy Cosulich, CEO, Fratelli Cosulich
  • Jeroen de Vos, Head of Quality, Peninsula
  • Colin Holloway, Global Head Technical, Cockett Marine Oil
  • Paul Maclons, Chair, AMSOL Board of Directors, African Marine Solutions Group (Pty) Ltd
  • Valeria Sessa, CEO, ReSeaWorld s.r.l
  • Anna Stefanou, Finance and Credit Manager, PMG Holding

Constantinos Capetanakis, said: “I am greatly honoured to be IBIA’s Chair and excited for the times ahead, being determined to lead the Association to further global growth and visibility throughout the entire shipping community”.

“This group of individuals bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and dedication to their roles, and IBIA is confident that under their leadership, the Association will continue to flourish and advance the interests of the bunker industry worldwide,” the association added. 

Capetanakis recently updated Manifold Times in an exclusive interview on the changes he will be implementing for IBIA during his tenure as its new Chairman including IBIA’s plans to intensify cooperation with all partners in Singapore, China, Europe, the United States, Middle East, and more.

Related: Interview: IBIA to intensify all marine energy related stakeholder activities, says new Chairman

 

Photo credit: International Bunker Industry Association
Published: 4 April 2024

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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.

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RESIZED Sora Shimazaki on Pexels

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.

Related: Singapore: Hin Leong Founder OK Lim gets jail term slashed to 13.5 years

 

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

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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.

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RESIZED Drew Beamer

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.

Related: Singapore: Director declares Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping’s inability to continue business
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping in court over DBS Bank bunker tanker loan
Related: Singapore: Bunker tanker “Coastal Neptune” arrested
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping, Coastal Logistics tankers enter S&P market

 

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

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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.

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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

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