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Malaysia: Marine Department clarifies types of oil permitted as cargo on tankers

Single hull tankers registered under the Malaysia Flag are not permitted to carry Heavy Grade Oil (Fuel Oil/Black Oil/Residual Oil), according to a shipping notice.
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The Marine Department of Malaysia on Wednesday (5 August) published a notice to the maritime industry clarifying restrictions and the types of oil permitted to be carried as cargo by Malaysia register oil tankers based on their classification: 

Notice to shipowners, ship agents, Masters, seafarers, port operators, Recognized Organization and the maritime industry:

CLARIFICATION ON THE REGISTRATION OF AN OIL TANKER, GENERAL CATEGORIES OF OIL TANKERS AND RESTRICTION ON THE TYPE OF OIL PERMITTED TO BE CARRIED AS CARGO

Purpose

  1. This Notice is to clarify to the shipping community on the registration of oil tankers under the Malaysia Flag, general categories of oil tankers and the restrictions on the type of oil permitted to be carried as cargo on said tankers.

Definition

  1. With reference to this Notice:
    1. “Heavy Grade Oil (HGO)” means oil having characteristics as defined in Regulation 21 of Annex I of MARPOL.
    2. “Age of ship” refers to the Year of Build stated in the International Tonnage Certificate 1969.

General Categories of Oil Tankers and The Type of Oil Permitted To Be Carried as Cargo

  1. Single Hull Single Bottom tankers under the Malaysia Flag are not permitted to carry oil as cargo irrespective of age of ship.
  2. Single Hull Double Bottom tanker under the Malaysia Flag may carry Heavy Grade Oil as cargo subject to the following conditions:
    1. The age of the tanker shall not exceed 25 years old;
    2. The plying limit shall be restricted within 20 nautical miles from the nearest land in:
      1. Peninsular Malaysia; or
      2. Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan only.
    3. Shall be classed with a Recognised Organisation approved by the Marine Department Malaysia with the appropriate Class Notations; and
    4. The double bottom specification and construction of the tanker is equivalent or higher than the requirement of a cargo ship under SOLAS Ch II-1”
  3. Single Hull Double Bottom tanker under the Malaysia Flag may carry oil other than Heavy Grade Oil as cargo subject to the following conditions:
      1. The plying limit shall be restricted to within Malaysia waters only; and
      2. shall be classed with a Recognised Organisation approved by the Marine Department Malaysia with the appropriate Class Notations; and
      3. The Double Bottom specification and construction of the tanker is equivalent or higher than the requirement of a cargo ship under SOLAS Ch II-1.

Additional Requirements Prior to the Registration as an Oil Tankers under the Malaysia Flag

  1. A Double Hull Double Bottom tanker intended to carry oil as cargo irrespective of age may be registered under the Malaysia Flag subject to the following additional conditions:
    1. The construction shall comply with regulation 19 or 20 of Annex I of MARPOL or an alternative design approved by the Marine Department Malaysia; and
    2. Shall be classed with a Recognised Organization approved by the Marine Department Malaysia with the appropriate Class Notations.
  2. A Single Hull Single Bottom tanker intended to carry oil as cargo irrespective of age may not be registered under the Malaysia Flag.

Existing Tankers Registered Under the Malaysia Flag

  1. Existing tankers registered under the Malaysia Flag shall comply with the cargo restriction as specified in this Notice with immediate effect.

Any inquiries concerning the subject of this notice should be directed to:

Director
Maritime Industrial Control Division,
Marine Department of Malaysia, HQ
P.O Box 12, Jalan Limbungan
42007 Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia

[email protected]

OR

Director
Ship Registration Division,
Marine Department of Malaysia, HQ
P.O Box 12, Jalan Limbungan
42007 Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia

[email protected]


Photo credit:  mkjr_
Published: 7 August, 2020

 

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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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July 21, 2026

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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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11 hours ago

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July 21, 2026

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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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July 21, 2026

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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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