Business

Singapore bunker industry association ABIS holds Annual General Meeting

The annual meeting discussed several topics related to the present and future bunkering sector.

Published

8 years ago

December 4, 2018

Admin

The Association of Bunker Industry (Singapore), also known as ABIS, held its annual general meeting (AGM) in November.

A key topic during the AGM was on contaminated bunker fuel, which prompted much discussion at the meeting.

The gathering saw a representative of international laboratory testing services firm Eurofins present updating committee members on recent bunker contamination trends.

Bryan Quek, the Sales & Marketing Manager of Eurofins, pointed out a trend by shipowners checking for chlorinated compounds present in marine fuel in addition to the well documented phenolic contaminants.

“1,2-dichloethane or 1,1,2-trichloroethane are organic chlorides which when present in a bunker sample, indicate the bunker stem being used as a disposal ground of chlorinated solvent,” explained Quek.

“These chlorinated compounds, which does not occur naturally in bunker fuel, may convert to hydrochloric acid during the combustion process due to hydrolytic reactions under high temperature.

“The formed hydrochloric acid can cause serious internal engine corrosion problems and this is especially true on ferrous and aluminium alloys which are mainly used in a vessel’s engine bearings.

“The limitation or tolerance by engine components of such acids are extremely low and components in the refining, transportation and storage sectors are unfortunately affected by damage caused by chlorinated compounds.

“Petroleum upstream processes have already set specification limits at <1ppm (non-detected) for organic chlorides in crude oil, as the applicability in both case are highly relevant, the limits in bunker fuel for marine usage is applicable as well in my opinion.”

Another popular topic during the AGM was the surveyor’s recommended action in the event of shipowners asking for advise when discovering contaminated fuel on board and deciding whether if the receiving vessel should consume it.

The ABIS committee unanimously agreed to advice clients to check back with engine manufacturers in the event of the above.

Moving forward, the ABIS committee decided to explore the role for surveyors in liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operations as part of TR 56 as a 2019 objective.

"We intend to get some people to help us understand this more to explore if surveyors have a role in LNG bunkering," said ABIS President Daniel Phua.

"There is definitely a need to check for several items such as safety, integrity of equipment, calibrations and more; these are what surveyors specialise in.”

Photo credit: ABIS
Published: 4 December, 2018

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

16 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

16 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

16 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