Taiwanese businessman Chen Shih-hsien, who runs Billions Bunker Group, has reportedly been charged at the Taiwan High Court (Kaohsiung Branch) on Thursday in connection to illegal sales of marine fuel to a North Korean vessel in 2017.
The court found Chen guilty of falsely declaring the route for Lighthouse Winmore, a Hong Kong-registered oil tanker chartered by the Billions Bunker Group.
He said the vessel was travelling to Hong Kong, when it actually sailed to international waters to engage in a ship-to-ship (STS) operation to transfer 600 metric tonnes (mt) of bunkers to North Korean vessel Sam Jong 2.
“Chen was well aware that the oil he purchased was being shipped to international waters for sale … and made four false declarations last year,” a statement from the court said, as quoted by Reuters.
Chen, meanwhile, is out on bail and barred from leaving Taiwan.
He told the court he was unaware the oil was being delivered to a North Korean vessel, and noted that the business transactions were conducted through a Chinese middleman and he has been “framed” by China.
In January, the Taiwanese government froze bank accounts of Chen’s companies and announced a ban on all business dealings with him after discovery of the illegal STS operation.
The corporate registry of the Marshall Islands later de-registered the Billions Bunker Group after learning of the development.
Oil tankers related to the Billions Bunker Group, namely Kings Way and Twins Bull, were denied entry at Kaohsiung Port in Taiwan during the same month.
Related: Bunker fuel involved in sanctioned North Korea trade
Related: Taiwan-based Billions Bunker Group de-registered
Related: Billions Bunker Group registered tankers denied port entry
Published: 6 July, 2018
DPRK tanker conducted STS oil transfer operations on 16 and 17 December, said Japanese government.
Captains could not produce invoices and documents proving the legality of a total 100 kilolitres of diesel oil.
Wikborg Rein lawyers offer a legal perspective on strengths and weaknesses of BIMCO’s IMO 2020 clauses.
Malaysia advised to remove vessels from disputed area to ‘avoid misunderstandings and potential issues’.
Provides OFAC’s perspective on the essential components of a sanctions compliance program for businesses.
Bomin Bunker Oil Corporation submitted its latest defence against WFS subsidiary Trans-Tec on 28 Nov.
The top three positive movers in the 2020 bunker supplier list are Hong Lam Fuels Pte Ltd (+13); Chevron Singapore Pte Ltd (+12); and SK Energy International (+8), according to MPA list.
‘We will operate in the Singapore bunkering market from the Tokyo, with support from local staff at Sumitomo Corporation Singapore,’ source tells Manifold Times.
Changes include abolishing advance declaration of bunkers as dangerous cargo, reducing pilotage fees on vessels receiving bunkers, and a ‘whitelist’ system for bunker tankers.
Claim relates to deliveries of MGO to the vessels Pacific Diligence, Pacific Valkyrie, Pacific Defiance, Crest Alpha 1, and Pacific Warlock between March 2020 to April 2020.
3,490 mt of LSFO from Itochu Enex was lifted at Universal Terminal; the same bunker stem was bought by Global Marine Logistics and delivered by bunker tanker Juma to receiving vessel Kirana Nawa.
Representatives of Veritas Petroleum Services, Maersk, INTERTANKO, ElbOil Singapore, and SDE International provide insight from their respective fields of expertise on what lies ahead.
