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Singapore: Investigations uncover USD 3.6 million worth of bunker short deliveries by Vermont UM Bunkering

Senior Cargo Officer gained SGD 48,800 worth of commission from “buyback” bunker transactions and illegally obtained SGD 410,712.257 by cheating Vermont, a Singapore court heard on Thursday (21 July).

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Investigations by local authorities have uncovered staff of former Singapore bunker supplier Vermont UM Bunkering Pte Ltd (Vermont) short delivering USD 3.6 million (exact: USD 3,645, 976.34) worth of marine fuel to 14 clients* over 52 occasions between 4 January 2014 and 2 March 2016.

The development involved Poh Fu Teck (Director), Koh Seng Lee (Director), Lee Kok Leong (Bunker Manager), Lee Peck Yong (Cargo Officer), Loh Cheok San (Senior Cargo Officer) and two absconded staff namely Yang San Hua (Director) and Xing Tao (Financial Controller).

Loh Cheok San (Mr Loh) was at the State Courts of Singapore on Thursday (21 July) when he pleaded guilty to two counts of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code read with Section 109 of the Penal Code (Cap 224, 2008 Rev Ed).

He gained SGD 48,800 worth of commission from “buyback” bunker transactions and illegally obtained SGD 410,712.257 by cheating Vermont, according to court documents obtained by Manifold Times.

“Buyback” Bunker Transactions

Mr Loh receive about SGD 10 per metric tonne (pmt) of marine fuel oil as commission for participating in “buyback” transactions which would be split 50-50 between him and any cargo office involved in the transaction.

He is estimated to have earned a commission of at least SGD 43,600 from the “buyback” transactions he participated in – calculated from multiplying SGD 5 pmt by the 8,720 metric tonnes of under-delivered marine fuel oil.

Extra Commission Cheated from Vermont

Further, Mr Loh said he was instructed by Lee Kok Leong to over-declare “buyback” figures to Vermont in order to gain extra money for sharing with his peers. This resulted in him earning an estimated extra commission of SGD 5,200 from Vermont.

Cheating Vermont

Investigations also uncovered Vermont being cheated of at least USD 979,750 in total by Mr Loh, Lee Kok Leong, and Gerald Lee.

The difference between what was declared to Vermont and the amount actually paid to the Chief Engineer of the vessel would be split equally between the three individuals after paying the cargo assistant, usually SGD 5 pmt.

It is estimated Loh’s share of the difference was about USD 314,960.95 (SGD 410,712.257).

Mr Loh, who has not made any restitution of his illegal gains to date, has been scheduled to face sentencing in October 2022.

*Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times has chosen to withhold the names of these 14 clients

Related: Directors of Vermont granted leave to pursue legal suits against Goldsland and Sin Hua
Related: Vermont UM Bunkering makes winding up application at Singapore High Court
Related: Vermont UM Bunkering Directors plan to defend claims from Hong Kong firms
Related: Goldsland Holdings moves in to secure US $22 million from Vermont UM Bunkering
Related: Bank seeks $38 million from arrested Singapore bunker tankers
Related: Singapore: Four bunker tankers arrested
Related: Singapore-based Vermont UM Bunkering directors, staff charged for fraud

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 25 July, 2022

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Winding up

Singapore: High Court to hear Norvic Shipping Asia winding up application on 31 July

Application for the winding up of Norvic Shipping Asia Pte Ltd was filed by Netherlands-registered Mur Shipping BV on 8 April, according to Government Gazette notice.

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An application for the winding up of Norvic Shipping Asia Pte Ltd was filed by Netherlands-registered Mur Shipping BV on 8 April, according to a Tuesday (21 July) notice on the Government Gazette.

It noted the winding up application is directed to be heard before the Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court at 10am on 31 July.

Any creditor or contributory of the company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the winding up application may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose.

A copy of the winding up application will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the company requiring the copy of the winding up application by the solicitors of the applicant’s, Oon & Bazul LLC, on payment of the regulated charge for the same.

The Applicant’s address is Hiridostraat 5, Gebouw Prismatrium, 1101CW Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The Applicant’s solicitors are Oon & Bazul LLC of 103 Penang Rd, #04-04/05/06 Singapore 238467. 

Queries on the winding up application may be directed to the following email addresses: [email protected] and [email protected].

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 22 July, 2026

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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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