Business

IBIA clarification regarding 2020 sulphur limit compliance and EGCS

There have been a number of misleading headlines and articles incorrectly attributing certain views, statements and advice to the IBIA in the past week.

Published

9 years ago

December 7, 2017

Admin

In the past week there have been a number of misleading headlines and articles incorrectly attributing certain views, statements and advice to the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA).

With regards to compliance with the 2020 global sulphur cap, IBIA urges its membership and all industry stakeholders to comply to safeguard the regulation’s intended benefits to human health and a level playing field.

The likely rate of compliance by ship operators is a controversial topic. A number of industry professionals, including IBIA members, have presented their views regarding the level of compliance they expect in 2020 in public fora. These are individual or company views and should not be confused with an official “IBIA view”.

IBIA’s view on 2020 compliance, reflecting the diversity of our membership, is that we should be careful about being both too pessimistic and too optimistic. There are legitimate concerns about compliance and effective enforcement, but there are also equally legitimate reasons to expect a high level of compliance. The only real indication we have at the moment is statistics from the emission control areas (ECAs) in Northern Europe, which has put non-compliance with the ECA limit at around 5%.

IBIA, along with other stakeholders, will be discussing ways to put global shipping on track to comply with the 0.50% sulphur limit at the International Maritime Organization when the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) meets in February next year.

As reported by IBIA last month, among the issues to be discussed at PPR is a proposed ban on the carriage of bunker fuel exceeding the global limit on ships without approved abatement technology.

In a poll at IBIA’s Annual Convention in Singapore last month, 38% of those who voted said they think we need such a carriage ban as soon as possible, while 55% thought there should be a ban but not until good availability of compliant fuels is evident. Only 7% voted against high sulphur bunker fuel carriage ban.

When it comes to abatement technology, specifically exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) or scrubbers, IBIA cannot offer investment advice and does not offer a specific opinion as to which options any particular shipowner or shipowners in general should follow.

IBIA is not in the business of providing forecasts or giving investment advice, but there is a wealth of knowledge and varying opinions within our membership on many subjects. IBIA provides a platform for these various views to be heard and discussed, at IBIA events and in material published by IBIA.

IBIA does, however, urge its members to abide by regulations, follow best practices and pursue a high level of professionalism and ethical standards.

The article above was an IBIA written press release contributed to Manifold Times.

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

12 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

13 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

13 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