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Singapore: Former Sea Hub Tankers staff jailed over “Sea Tanker II” sanctions violations

Ex-assistant Marine Superintendent and Cargo Officer ordered to spend respectively nine and six months in jail due to their involvement, showed documents.

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Former staff of Sea Hub Tankers Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Sea Hub Energy Pte Ltd, on Monday (20 Febraury) received jail sentences at the State Courts of the Republic of Singapore over Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) sanctions violations.

Assistant Marine Superintendent Ong Chou Hong Aaron and Cargo Officer Tan Chun Kiat Benny were ordered by the Judge to respectively spend nine and six months in jail due to their involvement in falsifying documents and hindering investigations related to the Sea Tanker II.

Both Aaron and Benny had an accomplice, namely Jeremy Koh Renfeng, who was employed as a Cargo Officer during the time of offence; Jeremy’s case is pending, according to a source at the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Background

Documents obtained by bunkering publication Manifold Times showed the MT Sea Tanker II being chartered to Golden Ocean Shipping (HK) Limited, a Hong Kong company, for a period of six months beginning from 1 September 2018.

Between 26 October 2018 and 8 December 2018, Singapore authorities received information alleging MT Sea Tanker II being engaged in a ship-to-ship transfer with DPRK-flagged vessels. 

On 5 November 2018, the Maritime Port Authority (MPA) requested for documents from Sea Hub Tankers, including MT Sea Tanker II’s official log book, oil record book part II, charter party agreement(s) and bill of lading(s). 

Falsification of documents

Between 5 November 2018 to 6 December 2018, Aaron and Benny gave instructions to Jeremy (who was on board MT Sea Tanker II at the material time) that the records in MT Sea Tanker II’s official logbook and various records would need to be re-written.

The trio communicated by WhatsApp to construct and present a false narrative of the movement of the vessel MT Sea Tanker II which could then be provided to the authorities – with a view to conceal its true movements and cargo operations.

Aaron and Benny also instructed Jeremy to ensure certain items were removed from the ship or destroyed including any document with Korean words on it and Korean cigarettes. 

As MT Sea Tanker II did not maintain an oil record book, the group falsified entries in the document by creating fictitious events to suggest vessel providing marine gas oil (MGO) to several fishing vessels in areas which matching the false narrative in the official logbook in terms of the dates and purported locations. 

Benny also instructed Jeremy to discard the bunker transfer receipts (BTRs) on the ship as the amounts in the BTRs would not match the falsified records in the oil record book part II. 

Evidence from Aaron’s handphone 

Investigations into Aaron’s handphone later retrieved images of a sounding report and a barge transfer advice, which recorded MT Sea Tanker II transferring around 2600 KL of oil to a vessel named MT An San I between 30 and 31 October 2018. 

MT An San I is believed to be a DPRK-flagged vessel. The sounding report was also signed off by a Chief Officer from Ansan Shipping Company, which is believed to be a North Korean shipping company. 

This transfer to MT An San I was not recorded in the official logbook or in the oil record book part II. In this regard, investigators concluded the official logbook and the oil record book part II were therefore false. 

Computer thrown overboard 

Investigators also found Aaron on 16 November 2018 instructing Jeremy via Whatsapp to check if certain emails and other documents had been printed out and filed, and if so, to throw them away.

Jeremy responded to say “[t]he harddisk better throw”. Aaron then informed Jeremy that Benny would be bringing a new Computer Processing Unit (CPU) to the ship and instructed Jeremy to destroy the CPU on board MT Sea Tanker II, saying “Tonight CPU throw into direct sea. At night then do.” 

Jeremy acknowledged Aaron’s instructions and stated “Yup the [CPU] lot of shit” (sic); he dismantled the CPU and sent Aaron a picture to show that he had done so and then threw the parts of the dismantled CPU into the sea at night.

Actions ‘frustrated’ CAD investigators

The MT Sea Tanker II later returned to Singapore on 6 December 2018; the falsified logbook and oil record book part II were provided together with other ship documentation to MPA which then passed the documents to the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD).

“The falsification of the logbook and oil record book part II frustrated the investigations by CAD, as it provided a false account of MT Sea Tanker II’s movement and cargo activity, and concealed MT Sea Tanker II’s true movement and cargo activity at the time,” noted court documents. 

“Similarly, the disposal of the CPU frustrated CAD’s ability to fully investigate into Sea Hub Tankers’ alleged contravention of Regulation 5 of the DPRK regulations as well as the persons criminally responsible behind Sea Hub Tankers alleged contravention, as CAD was unable to retrieve relevant information and documents pertaining to MT Sea Tanker II’s activities from the CPU.”

Related: Singapore: Imprisonment of Sea Hub Energy Director ‘unrelated to company integrity’, says majority shareholder
Related: Singapore: Sea Hub Energy exits MPA bunker craft operator list
Related: OFAC adds Singapore-registered “Sea Tanker II” to sanctions list

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 28 February, 2023

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Incident

Singapore: Bunker spill leads to checks on all fuel pipes at other Police Coast Guard bases

Police said fuel pipes at the other three bases at Loyang, Lim Chu Kang and Gul are also being checked with inspections expected to be wrapped up on 10 February.

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The recent oil leak incident at Police Coast Guard (PCG) Brani Regional Base has prompted checks on all fuel pipes at PCG’s three other bases for leaks, according to The Straits Times on Monday (10 February). 

Responding to queries from the local news provider, the police said all fuel pipes at Brani Regional Base were inspected on 6 February while fuel pipes at the other three bases at Loyang, Lim Chu Kang and Gul are also being checked with inspections expected to be wrapped up on 10 February. 

The police also said that a preliminary assessment on the cause of the leak might be due to micro cracks in a damaged fuel pipe as a result of repeated twisting of the pipe due to the movement of the pontoons caused by tidal changes.

On 6 February, Singapore authorities confirmed that a diesel oil leak was discovered at the Brani Regional Base on 5 February, at around 11.40am (Singapore Time). 

According to a joint statement by Singapore Police Force, Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) and National Environment Agency (NEA), about 23 metric tonnes had leaked from a damaged shore fuel hose used to refuel patrol craft at Selat Sengkir. 

The leak was eventually isolated at about 3.40pm and there were no oil slicks observed.

Related: Singapore confirms bunker spill from damaged shore fuel hose at Brani Regional Base

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 11 February, 2025

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Biofuel

NYK conducts first Japan bio bunker fuel trial on coal carrier for domestic power utility firm

Firm said it has started a biofuel test run on Noshiro Maru, operated by Tohoku Electric Power, marking the first time in Japan that a coal carrier has been used to test biofuel for a domestic power utility firm.

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NYK conducts first Japan bio bunker fuel trial on coal carrier for domestic power utility firm

Japanese shipping firm NYK on Monday (10 February) said it has started a biofuel test run on its coal carrier Noshiro Maru, which is operated by Tohoku Electric Power on 9 February.

This is the first time in Japan that a coal carrier has been used to test biofuel for a domestic power utility company. Mitsubishi Corporation Energy in the Keihin area facilitated the supply of biofuel for the vessel.

Biofuels are made from organic resources (biomass) of biological origin, such as agricultural residues and waste cooking oil, and are considered to produce virtually zero carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions when combusted.

“Since they can be used in heavy-oil-powered ship engines, which are common on large merchant ships, biofuels are considered a key means of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transition period from heavy oil to zero-emission fuels,” NYK said. 

“Using biofuel to reduce GHG emissions during sea navigation also contributes to reducing Scope 3 GHG emissions generated by transporting customers’ cargo.”

NYK added it will continue to focus on introducing biofuels and other next-generation fuels, and will contribute to reducing GHG emissions in our customers' supply chains while promoting decarbonisation in marine transport.

 

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 11 February, 2025

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Biofuel

IBIA welcomes IMO move to draft guidance change on carriage of bio bunker fuels

IBIA welcomed agreement by IMO’s Sub Committee on PPR 12 to draft Interim Guidance on the carriage of blends of biofuels and MARPOL Annex I cargoes by conventional bunker ships.

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The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) on Monday (10 February) said it submitted a document to IMO on the carriage of biofuels for supply to a ship for use as fuel oil on board that ship in November 2023.

This highlighted that as conventional bunker vessels were limited in carrying fuel oil of no more than 25% biofuel it presented a potential impediment to the global adoption of biofuels as fuel oil for ships and so to the ambition for the decarbonization of international shipping in the short term, as set out in the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy.

“IBIA therefore welcomes the agreement by IMO’s Sub Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 12) to draft Interim Guidance on the carriage of blends of biofuels and MARPOL Annex I cargoes by conventional bunker ships,” it said on its website. 

The guidance allows conventional bunker ships certified for carriage of oil fuels under MARPOL Annex I to transport blends of not more than 30% by volume of biofuel, as long as all residues or tank washings are discharged ashore, unless the oil discharge monitoring equipment (ODME) is approved for the biofuel blend(s) being shipped. 

“The Interim Guidance is expected to be approved by IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83) in April,” IBIA added. 

“IBIA’s membership represents stakeholders from across the global marine fuel value chain, and being able to draw on this technically strong and credible resource will, in its role of having consultative status to the IMO, mean that IBIA will continue to bring important matters to the attention of the wider IMO membership for due consideration.”

 

Photo credit: International Bunker Industry Association
Published: 11 February, 2025

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