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Singapore: Court of Appeal dismisses CIMB USD 5.7 million claim over earlier WFS/Panoil bunker contracts

Unlike the earlier High Court judgement, CoA Judges found CIMB did proofed the authenticity of the debenture; but offered a different perspective on why the case still favoured WFS.
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Editor: The following article is a summary of the full 47-page judgement from the High Court of the Republic of Singapore. The complete document published on 5 March 2020 is available here.

The Court of Appeal on 5 March upheld an earlier decision made by the High Court against CIMB Bank Berhad (CIMB) and dismissed an appeal made by the bank as a legal assignee under a deed of debenture*.

CIMB in June 2020 lost a legal claim of approximately USD 5.7 million against bunker trading company World Fuel Services (Singapore) Pte Ltd (WFS) over a deed of debenture issued by former Singapore physical bunker supplier Panoil Petroleum Pte Ltd (Panoil).

The bank lost the earlier suit at the High Court due to issues in proving the authenticity of the debenture; it could not prove two signatures purportedly belonged to Alvin Yong Chee Ming (Yong), Panoil’s former managing director, and Lim Shi Zheng (Lim), a director of Panoil; both did not show up in court.

However, in the latest development, Judges at the Court of Appeal found CIMB did produce enough evidence to proof the authenticity of the debenture; but offered a different perspective on why the case still favoured WFS.

“In the present case, it was not disputed that the legal burden of proof to show authenticity was on CIMB,” the Judges stated.

“We have considered the omission by CIMB to call Yong and Lim or to introduce any expert evidence together with the rest of the evidence.

“Relying predominantly on the circumstantial evidence available before the court, however, we reach a different conclusion from the Judge on the issue of authenticity.

“We find that CIMB has established authenticity of the Debenture on a balance of probabilities and discharged its burden of proof.”

Instead, Judges at the Court of Appeal noted previous contracts between WFS and Panoil including a right of set-off favouring WFS under documents signed by the parties.

“Accordingly, it is unnecessary to address WFS’ argument that an adverse inference should be drawn against CIMB for not calling Yong and Lim as witnesses on the right of set-off,” they reasoned.

“WFS was therefore entitled to a right of contractual set-off under the 2014 Offset Agreement. In the circumstances, the question of the application of the Umbrella Contracts to the Subject Transactions is academic. Likewise, it is unnecessary to consider WFS’ claim to an equitable set-off.

“We therefore find that CIMB cannot succeed in its claims against WFS, but for a different reason than that of the Judge, and dismiss CIMB’s appeal in CA 107/2020. Although CIMB has established the authenticity of the Debenture, WFS has established its right of set-off.”

Background:

Panoil Petroleum and its five other associated companies, namely Panoil Tankers Pte Ltd, Panoil Shipping Pte Ltd, Panoil Marine Pte Ltd, Pan Energy Pte Ltd, and Panoil Logistics Pte Ltd., were placed under judicial management during October 2, 2017.

Panoil Petroleum’s bunker supplier license was not renewed by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) when it expired on August 31, 2017 due to unauthorised alterations being made on the pipelines of the bunker tankers between the Mass Flow Meters (MFM) and the flow boom.

The alterations allow bunker fuel that have been measured by the MFM to be siphoned out and undermines the accuracy of the readings from the MFM system, according to the MPA.

Its bunker craft operator licence was earlier revoked by the port authority on 15 August, 2017.

*A debenture is a type of bond or other debt instrument that is unsecured by collateral. Since debentures have no collateral backing, they must rely on the creditworthiness and reputation of the issuer for support. Both corporations and governments frequently issue debentures to raise capital or funds. [Source: Investopedia]

Related: Panoil Petroleum and Pan Energy appoint liquidator to hold meeting of creditors
Related: Singapore: CIMB Bank loses USD 5.7 million claim against WFS over Panoil debenture
Related: Singapore: Liquidators seek to wind up Panoil Petroleum at High Court

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 17 March, 2021

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Methanol

China launches methanol shipping supply chain alliance to accelerate green transition

Marine fuel suppliers in the alliance include Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales, China Marine Bunker (PetroChina), SIPG Energy (Shanghai), and Shenzhen Port Energy Development.
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China Waterborne Transport Research Institute under the Ministry of Transport and China Transport News recently jointly launched a Methanol Fuel Shipping Supply Chain Innovation Alliance with 20 organisations spanning the shipping, port, energy, equipment, research and industry association sectors.

The alliance was officially announced during the main event of China Maritime Day 2026 on 11 July, where members also released a joint initiative to develop a collaborative methanol-fuelled shipping supply chain.

The alliance aims to implement China’s national strategy for green economic transformation and support the Ministry of Transport’s “One Network, Four Modernisations” initiative by building a safe, efficient, economical and reliable methanol marine fuel supply chain

Under the joint initiative, alliance members pledged to align with China’s national decarbonisation strategy by promoting methanol as a key pathway for the shipping sector’s green transition and optimising the industry’s energy mix.

The members also pledged to strengthen collaboration across the supply chain to improve coordination between bunker fuel production, transportation and end users while advancing technological innovation.

Lastly, the alliance will support the development of policies, planning and technical standards, promote resource sharing and joint research, and accelerate the large-scale adoption of methanol as a marine fuel.

The alliance brings together companies and organisations representing the entire methanol shipping supply chain.

Members include shipping and port members such as China Changjiang National Shipping (Group) Corporation, COSCO Shipping Bulk Co., Ltd., Shandong Port Group, and Wuhan Chuangxin Jianghai Shipping Co., Ltd.

Energy companies in the alliance include Sinopec Chemical Commercial Holding Company Limited and Methanex Corporation.

Marine fuel suppliers including Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales, China Marine Bunker (PetroChina), SIPG Energy (Shanghai) Co Ltd and Shenzhen Port Energy Development Co Ltd are also part of the alliance. 

Equipment manufacturers in the alliance are CSSC 711th Research Institute, CSSC Power (Group) Corporation Ltd and Chongqing Hongjiang Machinery Co Ltd.

Research, media and industry organisations participating in the alliance include the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute, China Transport News, and the Methanol Institute.

The Methanol Institute said methanol is moving beyond individual projects towards coordinated action across the entire value chain. 

“And China continues to play a leading role in advancing methanol as a marine fuel,” it said in a social media post.  

“We’re proud to work alongside our fellow alliance members to help strengthen the methanol supply chain and support the continued growth of methanol as a marine fuel.”

 

Photo credit: David Yu from Pixabay
Published: 17 July, 2026

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Alternative Fuels

KR, HD Hyundai tap first ammonia dual-fuel sea trial to develop vessel operating standards

Trial generated data on the vessel’s fuel supply system and engine, which will provide a technical foundation for KR’s future development of domestic guidelines for ammonia-fuelled ships.

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KR, HD Hyundai tap first ammonia dual-fuel sea trial to develop vessel operating standards

Korean Register (KR) on Tuesday (14 July) said it is collaborating with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to establish a domestic operating environment for ammonia-fuelled vessels under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ Green Shipping Corridor Construction Support Project. 

The initiative supports the development of ammonia as one of the most promising next-generation marine fuels.

HHI recently conducted a sea trial of Korea’s first ammonia dual-fuel propulsion vessel. The trial generated operational data on the vessel’s fuel supply system and engine, which will provide a valuable technical foundation for KR’s future development of domestic guidelines for environmentally friendly vessel operations and supporting wider maritime decarbonisation efforts.

A spokesperson for HD Hyundai, said: “Drawing on our group’s R&D capabilities and on-site technical expertise, we have made meaningful progress in advancing the application of ammonia as a marine fuel. We expect this to help enhance a sustainable maritime ecosystem while strengthening the competitiveness of Korea’s shipbuilding industry.”

Kim Daeheon, Executive Vice President of KR’s R&D Division, added: “The close collaboration between KR and HD Hyundai has enabled us to build the technical foundation for introducing ammonia-fueled vessels in Korea. We will continue to drive national projects forward together with HD Hyundai and establish technical standards befitting the era of Green Shipping Corridors.”

 

Photo credit: HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
Published: 17 July, 2026

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Wind-assisted

DNV awards TADC to Econowind for VentoFoil 3-Series

System actively harnesses wind power to generate forward thrust, helping to reduce bunker fuel consumption and mitigate FuelEU penalties.
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DNV awards TADC to Econowind for VentoFoil 3-Series

Dutch wind-assisted propulsion technology firm Econowind on Wednesday (15 July) said it has received a Type Approval Design Certificate (TADC) from classification society DNV for its VentoFoil 3-Series boundary layer suction wing. 

The company said the certification confirms compliance with DNV’s ST-0511 standard for Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems and enables easier integration of VentoFoils on DNV-classed vessels worldwide. 

Econowind added that the approval accelerates the deployment of wind propulsion across the shipping industry.

“DNV is one of the world’s leading classification societies. This TADC gives DNV-classed shipowners confidence that VentoFoils meet the highest industry standards,” said Chiel de Leeuw, Chief Commercial Officer at Econowind. 

“It simplifies the approval process for both retrofits and newbuilds. VentoFoils are ideal for late-stage design integration and retrofit projects. This is an important milestone for Econowind and for the wider adoption of wind-assisted ship propulsion.”

The 3-Series VentoFoil is Econowind’s best-selling suction wing to date, with over 150 units sold. The system actively harnesses wind power to generate forward thrust, helping to reduce fuel consumption and mitigate FuelEU penalties. The system includes a tilting foundation, allowing the wings to be tilted down during port operations or in adverse weather conditions, making it a flexible solution.

The TADC applies to the 16-meter VentoFoil 3-Series product design and supports easy integration into DNV-classed vessels without repeating the full design assessment process. This enables shipowners, shipyards, and project teams to move more efficiently from concept to installation, reducing project complexity and accelerating deployment. 

Hasso Hoffmeister, Senior Principal Engineer at DNV Maritime, said: “It is a great pleasure to award Econowind this new certificate. WAPS have been going from strength to strength over the past few years, from 2022 the number of vessels in operation has increased five times, and we’ve now topped the century mark. 

“And with the current advances in technology, materials, and production capacity in the segment, we expect this to accelerate. So, while the wind always changes, the shipping industry is likely to be sailing strong for years to come.”

Econowind expects the DNV Type Approval Design Certificate to accelerate adoption of the VentoFoil, particularly among shipowners seeking proven, independently certified technology that can support fuel savings, emissions reductions, and decarbonization goals.

MS Heinz of HS Schiffahrt is among the first vessels to sail under this TADC.The company said the approval builds on Econowind’s growing installed base and further strengthens confidence in wind-assisted ship propulsion as a practical solution to address energy scarcity and high fuel prices. 

In addition to the 3-Series, Econowind offers the 5-Series for the deep-sea market.

 

Photo credit: Econowind
Published: 17 July, 2026

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