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Singapore bunker trader Sing Fuels backs fintech venture with USD 10 mil investment

129Knots will offer a vast range of OTD solutions to increase transparency and enhance risk mitigation beginning in marine energy transition sector, with plans to expand into other high growth industries.

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Global fintech venture 129Knots recently announced its launch with a USD 10 million investment led by Singapore’s homegrown bunker trader Sing Fuels. 

The company reported that it is backed by a USD 500 million deal pipeline. 

Its real-world asset origination to distribution (OTD) technology will deliver and deploy scalable liquidity solutions through secure chain technologies. This will elevate supply chains into high-value assets that meet investment-grade standards. 

Moreover, the platform is driven by a proprietary data driven credit engine named Tribal Knots. Tribal Knots uses advanced machine learning and integrates both structured and unstructured data from global networks to offer real-time insights into buyer behavior, transaction patterns, and industry benchmarks.

129Knots was incubated and launched under the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) Corporate Venture Launchpad programme, which supports companies with venture creation and startup partnerships from Singapore. 

The corporation partnered with McKinsey & Company to validate its market opportunity, which led to the creation of 129Knots to drive innovation in the real-world asset economy. 

The additional support from Enterprise Singapore and IBM consulting, combined with the USD 10 million capital injection, will help scale 129Knots globally as it aims to solve the USD 2.5 trillion gap between trade finance requests and approvals, which is its first market entry value proposition.

129Knots will also offer a vast range of OTD solutions across trade credit, asset tokenization, programmable money, stablecoin-powered transactions, blockchain technology, advanced trade audit trails, innovative credit risk assessment models, and trade governance. 

These technologies will increase transparency and enhance risk mitigation beginning in the marine energy transition sector, with plans to expand into other high growth industries.

Vikash Dhanuka, Founder & Group CEO of 129Knots, said: “The homogeneous approach of balance-sheet led lending is obsolete. A one-size-fits-all approach simply fails in a dynamic sector such as global trade. At 129Knots, we redefine the game with a tailored integration of OTD technology, business risk management, and finance.”

“As an example, a small marine energy supplier in an emerging market can tokenize receivables using programmable money, enabling instant credit disbursement upon achieving predefined milestones verified in real-time through advanced governance audit trails.”

“This innovation provides financiers with full visibility into trade assets, mitigates risks and unlocks capital previously unavailable through conventional channels.”

 

Photo credit: Kyle Sudu on Unsplash
Published: 13 February, 2025

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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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