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Malaysia: MMEA detains three vessels for illegal anchoring in East Johor waters

Vessels, including those registered in Barbados and Copenhagen, were detained on 4 December and captains of ships had failed to present any document of authorisation to anchor in Malaysian waters.

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Malaysia: MMEA detains three vessels for illegal anchoring in East Johor waters

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) on Tuesday (5 December) said three vessels have been detained for illegally anchoring in East Johor waters on 4 December. 

MMEA Tanjung Sedili Zone acting director Maritime Cmdr Mohd Najib Sam said the first ship, registered in Port Klang, was detained by a patrol boat at 11.30 am at 19.8 nautical miles east of Tanjung Sedili Kechil.

The second ship, registered at Bridgetown in Barbados, anchored at 11.30am at 18.1 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Penawar.

And the third ship, registered at Copenhagen, was detained by a MMEA patrol vessel at 5.30pm at 21.5 nautical miles east of Tanjung Balau.

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Najib said all captains of the ships had failed to present any document of authorisation to anchor in Malaysian waters and the case will be investigated under Section 491B(1)(L) Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952.

He added that the detention of all three ships has brought the total number of ships detained for the same offence so far this year to 86.

Photo credit: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
Published: 6 December, 2023

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Legal

Shell MGO bunker heist: Man sentenced to jail for hindering police investigations

Wong Wai Seng was reportedly sentenced to two months’ jail for lying to police on the whereabouts of three bunker clerks involved in the heist and relaying instructions for them to stay out of Singapore.

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A man, who was an operations executive with Singapore-based Sentek Marine & Trading (Sentek), was sentenced to two months’ jail on Friday (31 January), according to CNA.

Wong Wai Seng lied to police about the whereabouts of three bunker clerks involved in the Shell Pulau Bukom fuel heist. 

Wong pleaded guilty to one charge of perverting the course of justice while four charges of abetting corruption by giving the bunker clerks bribes to remain outside of Singapore and avoid investigations were considered in sentencing. 

Manifold Times previously reported three bunker clerks, previously employed by Sentek, being charged in Court for offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA) and the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). 

They were Singaporeans Wong Kuin Wah, Wong Wai Meng, and Boo Pu Wen.

It was alleged that Wai Meng, Kuin Wah and Pu Wen intentionally aided Sentek in acquiring property which was another person’s benefits from criminal conduct, by assisting to receive on board their respective vessels, gasoil which had been dishonestly misappropriated from Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd’s facility (Shell Pulau Bukom). 

They were charged for offences under Section 47(3) of the CDSA, read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, and punishable under Section 47(6)(a) of the CDSA. 

CNA reported that Wai Seng relayed instructions from Sentek’s managing director Pai Keng Pheng to the bunker clerks including instructing them to leave Singapore in January 2018. This resulted in Wai Meng, who is Wai Seng’s brother, leaving for Medan.

Wong also told Boo and Wong Kuin Wah who were on board different Sentek vessels, to not return to shore. 

On Pai's instructions, Wong also told the bunker clerks to throw away their work phones, which contained messages relating to the fuel heist.

The trio remained in hiding at D'Merlion Hotel in Batam for almost three years until January 2021, when they returned to Singapore and were arrested.

Wong Wai Meng was sentenced to seven years, four months and two weeks’ jail for helping the company acquire more than 28,000 metric tonnes (mt) of the misappropriated fuel worth USD 13.58 million (SGD 18.26 million)

Meanwhile, Wong Kuin Wah was sentenced to seven years and six months’ jail on 18 November for his role in misappropriating more than 27,000 tonnes of gas oil worth around USD 12.8 million (SGD 17.2 million).

The third individual who was charged, Boo Pu Wen, reportedly passed away in July 2023 and had his charges abated following his death, meaning Boo’s court proceedings over his 19 charges at the time came to an end. 

Former Shell employees, who were key members of a group who dishonestly misappropriated fuel from Shell Pulau Bukom, were sentenced to jail in court earlier.

Earlier coverage of developments by Manifold Times regarding the Shell MGO bunker heist can be found below:

Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Bunker clerk gets jail time for helping Sentek acquire misappropriated fuel
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Bunker clerk pleads guilty to helping Sentek acquire misappropriated fuel
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Shell employees sentenced to more than 23 years in prison each
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Shell employees plead guilty to multiple offences
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Shell employee receives over 16-year jail sentence
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Intertek Surveyor sentenced to four months’ jail for corruption
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Intertek Surveyor pleads guilty to corruption charge
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Shell Process Technician receives 195-month jail sentence
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Police seize property, cars, watches from ex-Shell Bukom Process Technician
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Shell blending specialist jailed over USD 956,000 worth of misappropriated gasoil
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Former Intertek, Inspectorate surveyors receive fines, jail sentences
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-CCIC Singapore surveyor pleads guilty to misconduct, receiving USD 12k in bribes
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Process Technician receives 184-month prison sentence over illicit involvement
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Syndicate member’s nephew jailed over concealment of safe containing valuables
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: 12 former surveyors from Intertek, Inspectorate, CCIC, SGS charged for corruption
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Former Shore Loading Officer receives 29-year jail sentence over total 85 charges
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Process Technician received minimum SGD 735,000 in benefits, faces 43 charges
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Shell employee admits leading role in illicit operation
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Sentek ex-Director faces 40 fresh charges
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Two former Shell employees jailed over theft
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: High Court affirms ‘Prime South’ forfeiture to Singapore State
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Three ex-Shell employees charged with bribing surveyors
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Second ex-Shell employee pleads guilty to nine charges
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: First ex-Shell employee to plead guilty over involvement
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Director of Singapore bunkering firm released from police custody
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Oil tanker ‘Prime South’ forfeited by State Courts of Singapore
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Director of Singapore bunkering firm face charge at State Courts
Related: Shell Singapore oil heist: Third offender pleads guilty for gas oil theft
Related: Captain of “Prime South” jailed in Shell Pulau Bukom gas oil theft
Related: Shell Singapore oil heist: Ex-Chief Officer of Prime South jailed
Related: Singapore: Shell MGO bunker heist amount balloons to USD$142 million
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist update: Fresh charges issued at Singapore court
Related: Shell Singapore oil heist: More charges issued at court
Related: Shell Singapore oil heist: Breakdown of stolen oil cargoes
Related: Intertek Singapore employee among Shell oil heist suspects

 

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 3 February, 2025

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Bunker Fuel

MPA: Sentek Marine & Trading bunkering licenses to expire on 3 February

Sentek will cease to be licensed from 3 February 2025 at 4pm and must not continue to operate as a bunker supplier and bunker craft operator within the Singapore Port, says MPA.

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The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Monday (20 January) said the bunker supplier and bunker craft operator licences of Sentek Marine & Trading Pte Ltd (Sentek) will expire at 4pm on 3 February 2025.

“From 3 February 2025, 4pm, Sentek Marine & Trading Pte Ltd will cease to be licensed and must not continue to operate as a bunker supplier and/or bunker craft operator within the Singapore Port,” MPA said in Port Marine Circular No 2 of 2025. 

On 4 September 2024, MPA initially said it would not be renewing the bunkering licences of Sentek, which would expire on 17 September and the company would cease to be licensed on and from 18 September. 

However, later, MPA announced it has extended the bunkering licences of Sentek for a limited amount of time, “pending the final disposal of the appeals” by the company.

In late August last year, Manifold Times reported the General Division of the High Court dismissing an application from Sentek to quash MPA’s refusal to renew its bunker supplier and bunker craft operator licenses.

At the time, a Sentek representative told Manifold Times it was planning to appeal the High Court decision.

MPA also reminded all bunker licensees, including bunker suppliers and bunker craft operators, to comply strictly with all the terms and conditions of the respective bunker licence(s). 

“MPA will not hesitate to take firm action against any licensee that contravenes any of its bunker licence terms and conditions, including taking into account such contraventions in considering whether to renew the bunker licence(s), suspending or cancelling the bunker licence(s), and/or taking enforcement action against any such bunker licensee,” it said.

Related: Singapore: Sentek Marine & Trading secures temporary extension of bunker licences
Related: MPA: Sentek Marine & Trading bunkering licenses to cease from 18 September
Related: Singapore: Sentek application to quash MPA’s refusal to renew bunkering licences dismissed

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 21 January, 2025

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Legal

Singapore: Charges against Founder of Zenrock abated following his death

Xie Chun and his former Operations Executive, Zhang Taiming, were charged in 2022 for offences relating to cheating, criminal breach of trust, and forgery involving more than USD105 million.

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Singapore’s court proceedings over multiple charges against the founder of Singapore-based oil trading firm Zenrock Commodities have come to an end following his death, The Straits Times reported on Wednesday (15 January). 

The charges against Xie Chun, who was accused of several offences including cheating, were abated after a pre-trial conference on 9 January.

An Attorney-General’s Chambers spokesperson told The Straits Times that the criminal charges against were abated following an application of the defence after Xie Chun passed away on 3 January. 

No details of his death were revealed by the spokesperson.

In 2020, HSBC accused Zenrock of dishonestly obtaining multiple sources of financing for crude cargoes. 

HSBC filed a court application on 4 May to place Zenrock under judicial management, a form of debt restructuring, to recover funds it said it is owed.

In 2022, Singapore Police Force charged Xie, who was also the former Director of Zenrock, and his former Operations Executive, Zhang Taiming, for offences relating to cheating, criminal breach of trust, and forgery involving more than USD105 million. 

Investigations by the Commercial Affairs Department of the SPF revealed that sometime between February and March 2020, Xie and Zhang Taiming had allegedly used forged documents to cheat the Bank of China Limited (Singapore) of a sum of USD54 million.

Both Xie and Zhang Taiming are also alleged to have committed criminal breach of trust by dishonestly re-assigning to the Bank of China Limited (Singapore) the proceeds from a sale of cargo oil that it had charged to Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (Singapore) and cheated Credit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank of a sum of USD17 million.

A complete coverage of the events leading to the liquidation of ZenRock Commodities Trading has been arranged by Singapore bunker publication Manifold Times (in descending date order) below: 

Related: Liquidators issue notice of intended dividend for ZenRock Commodities Trading
Related: Liquidators of Zenrock Commodities announce intended dividend to creditors
Related: Zenrock Commodities files for winding up order, hearing date set
Related: Singapore: High Court grant HSBC’s request to place Zenrock under judicial management
Related: Singapore: Troubled Zenrock Commodities rumoured to be winding down in August
Related: Update: Hearing date set for HSBC application to place Zenrock under judicial management
Related: Zenrock assents to HSBC’s application for it to be placed under judicial management
Related: Argus Media: HSBC accuses Singapore’s Zenrock of ‘suspicious’ trades
Related: HSBC accuses Zenrock of fraudulent dealings, files for legal action amid credit concerns
Related: Winson Group and ZenRock Commodities reassure fiscal stability despite Hin Leong fiasco

 

Photo credit: Ekaterina Bolovtsova
Published: 16 January, 2024

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