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Malaysia: MMEA arrests five vessels in six-hour period over alleged entry permission offenses

Togo-registered cargo ship, Cayman Islands-registered tanker, Panama-registered tanker, and two barter trade boats were part of latest round of arrests.

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The Johor State division of Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) on Monday (16 August) said it has successfully arrested five ships during a six-hour period on Sunday over alleged entry permission offenses.

Johor State Maritime Director, First Admiral Nurul Hizam bin Zakaria, stated two tankers and a cargo ship were arrested by MMEA assets in the Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone via Op Anchor Haram, while two barter trade boats were arrested within the Batu Pahat Maritime Zone.

All five vessels allegedly failed to present any documents of permission to enter Malaysia’s waters, he noted.

The first detention involving a Togo-registered cargo ship occurred around 9.47 am at 13 eastern nautical miles of Tanjung Balau, Johor; the vessel had a crew of 16 comprising of Egyptian and Syrian individuals between 22 to 46 years old.

At approximately 1.55 pm, a Cayman Islands registered tanker was arrested at 13.1 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Siang, Johor; the tanker was operated by 27 Filipino and Russian crew between 20 to 57 years old.

The third detention was carried out against a Panama-registered tanker at 13.9 nautical miles east of Tanjung Siang, not far from where the second tanker was arrested; the vessel was manned by 25 Filipino and Russian crew aged between 23 to 63 years old.

Within the Batu Pahat Maritime Zone, MMEA personnel arrested two barter trade boats around 3.35 pm at 2.4 nautical miles of southwest Tanjung Tohor; the boats were operated by eight Indonesian crew between 25 years to 42 years old.

All vessels involved are arrested and will be investigated under Section 491 B (1) (l) of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952. If found guilty, parties face a fine not exceeding RM 100,000 or an imprisonment term for not more than two years, or both.

“Malaysian Maritime [MMEA] through the Johor State Maritime will continue to increase enforcement and patrol around Johor’s water area to curb illegal distanced ships,” states MMEA.

“It is advised to all ship owners and shipping agents to continue to obey and respect the rule of state water laws especially in Johor.”

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A series of earlier MMEA detentions in 2021 have been reported by bunkering publication Manifold Times (below):

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Related: Malaysia: MMEA detains five more oil tankers in special ops, total detentions stand at 18
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Related: MMEA detains Panama flagged tanker for anchoring illegally in eastern Johor
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Related: MMEA detains tanker ‘MT Tahiti’ in Malacca waters for anchoring without a permit
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Related: Malaysia: MMEA detains tanker for anchoring without a permit in southeastern Johor

 

Photo credit: MMEA
Published: 17 August, 2021

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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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