Business
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.

Published
10 months agoon
By
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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
Biofuel
China Shipping & Sinopec Suppliers completes first biofuel bunkering op of passenger ship in Dalian
Firm successfully refuelled passenger ship “Chang Shan Dao” owned by Cosco Shipping Ferry with B24 bio bunker fuel on 29 November at Dalian Cruise Port.

Published
3 days agoon
December 8, 2023By
Admin
China Shipping & Sinopec Suppliers Co., Ltd. on Wednesday (29 November) successfully refuelled passenger ship "Chang Shan Dao" owned by Cosco Shipping Ferry Co., Ltd. with B24 bio bunker fuel at the Dalian Cruise Port.
The occasion marked the first biofuel bunkering operation for passenger ships in China.
The B24 biofuel oil used was blended with 24% biofuel and 76% conventional low-sulphur fuel oil.
Sinopec China Shipping Fuel Supply, which is responsible for the bunkering operation, is a bunker supply firm jointly established by Sinopec Group and COSCO Shipping Group.
According to Li Zhi, Deputy Party Secretary and Deputy General Manager of China Shipping & Sinopec Suppliers Co., Ltd., the biofuel bunkering business is another step in the company's active business of the group's development strategy.
The bunkering operation after the firm completed the first bonded biofuel bunkering operation of a domestic ship on 7 September.
Disclaimer: The above article published by Manifold Times was sourced from China’s domestic market through a local correspondent. While considerable efforts have been taken to verify its accuracy through a professional translator and processed from sources believed to be reliable, no warranty is made regarding the accuracy, completeness and reliability of any information.
Photo credit: China Shipping & Sinopec Suppliers
Published: 8 December, 2023
Alternative Fuels
Singapore, Tianjin to pilot and trial alternative bunker fuels following shipping corridor MoU
Singapore – Tianjin Green and Digital Shipping Corridor will serve as a valuable testbed for both countries to pilot and trial digital solutions, alternative fuels and technologies, amongst others.

Published
3 days agoon
December 8, 2023By
Admin
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the People’s Republic of China’s Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission on Wednesday (6 December) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the Singapore – Tianjin Green and Digital Shipping Corridor.
Mr Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive, MPA, and Mr Wang Zhinan, Director General, Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission, signed this MoU.
The MoU marked the first Green and Digital Shipping Corridor established between Singapore and China to support the decarbonisation, digitalisation and growth of the maritime industry between Singapore and the Bohai Region.
The Singapore – Tianjin Green and Digital Shipping Corridor will serve as a valuable testbed for both countries to pilot and trial digital solutions, alternative bunker fuels and technologies, and facilitate talent development to support the decarbonisation and digitalisation of shipping.
Singapore and Tianjin will work with the research community, the institutes of higher learning, and industry stakeholders such as shipping lines, port operators, shipbuilders, classification societies, and bunker suppliers to enable more efficient port clearance through digital exchanges, encourage the offtake of zero or near-zero greenhouse gas emission fuels and adoption of new fuel technologies, spur innovation and support the growth of the maritime startups community, and facilitate manpower training and professional development.
The establishment of the Singapore – Tianjin Green and Digital Shipping Corridor reaffirms the strong commitment by Singapore and Tianjin to accelerate maritime decarbonisation and digitalisation. Singapore will also be exploring the establishment of similar collaboration with other maritime and port ecosystems within China.
Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 8 December, 2023
Decarbonisation
Report highlights routes-based action plan methodology to accelerate uptake of clean bunker fuels
NextGEN Connect-GreenVoyage2050 collaboration, which includes Singapore, emphasises the important role of regional energy hubs in enabling the inclusive adoption of clean marine fuels.

Published
3 days agoon
December 8, 2023By
Admin
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Thursday (7 December) said the NextGEN Connect-Green Voyage2050 Project identified a key role for regional hubs to help connect large demand clusters and remote locations, with regional fuel supply sources, in order to enable a more inclusive and effective transition to a low-carbon maritime future.
The project is a collaboration between Singapore, Norway and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
These findings were unveiled in the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub (LR MDH) report titled Routes-based Action Plans: A Toolkit launched at the Voyage to Net-Zero Forum, which was organised by MPA, at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28/CMP8/CMA5) yesterday.
The report was developed following a workshop discussion that was held from 5 to 6 October 2023 in Singapore, with the participation of 40 stakeholders representing ports and National Administrations across Asia, based on the concept of the LR MDH’s First Movers Framework for green corridors. The workshop simulated the process steps of the routes-based action plan methodology, addressing the limitations in its application in the wider Asian context. Additional engagements with stakeholders from the Pacific are envisaged to further refine the methodology.
“One of the key findings in our report highlighted the varying pace of decarbonisation efforts across the Asian region and the need for regional coordination among governments to establish energy clusters that will serve both as demand centres and energy producing hubs” said Charles Haskell, Director at LR MDH.
The creation of energy producing hubs includes defining a strategy that brings together demand from different countries at different developmental stages across the region to build up investment cases for implementing energy infrastructure at scale, all the while taking into consideration the economic and social benefits for local communities.
The report also emphasised that routes-based action plans should be steered by national governments to give confidence to the industry’s infrastructure investment decisions, with development banks and regional funds needing to play a part to help tailor financing solutions to support infrastructure development.
“If we truly want to achieve a net-zero future where no one is left behind, we cannot focus only on existing first mover initiatives. We must also study locations where the energy infrastructure is still in its infancy”, added Charles Haskell.
Essential to driving the implementation of routes-based action plans, as highlighted in the report, is the pooling of resources and capacity building to develop the business case for building the necessary infrastructure for regional hubs that include Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This will require regional coordination and collaboration involving governments and all stakeholders across the maritime supply chain.
Mr. Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of MPA, said: “As we steer toward a sustainable maritime future, fostering a collective and inclusive approach is imperative in the development of green corridors and the energy transition to decarbonise international shipping.”
“The NextGEN Connect-GreenVoyage2050 collaboration emphasises the important role of regional energy hubs in enabling the inclusive adoption of clean marine fuels, particularly for LDCs and SIDSs. MPA looks forward to continuing its collaboration with IMO, Ministry of Climate and Environment of Norway and LR MDH to pilot solutions to reduce GHG emissions from ships and drive innovative transformations in the maritime industry.”
Sveinung Oftedal, Chief Negotiator of the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, said: “Separate routes for emission-free ferries and ships can play an essential role in stimulating early action to adopt zero or near-zero emission technologies and fuels, and hence are an important step towards decarbonising shipping. There is currently a significant volume of maritime traffic between Asian countries, and our workshop was a great forum to discuss opportunities the decarbonisation of maritime shipping can bring and how efforts can be linked to countries’ wider energy transition.”
Jose Matheickal, IMO Director of Partnerships and Projects, said: “Supporting developing countries, including SIDS and LDCs, in their efforts to implement the 2023 IMO Strategy on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships is imperative to the decarbonisation of the maritime sector. IMO is pleased to provide, through this collaboration, practical support around the development and subsequent implementation of National Action Plans and route-based actions in line with IMO’s MEPC RESOLUTION.366(79) that encourages Member States to undertake these voluntary actions to facilitate the achievement of greener shipping and reduced emissions.”
Note: ‘Routes-based action Plans: a toolkit’ can be found here.
Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 8 December, 2023

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