Business

The American Club issues bunkering best practices to prevent spread of COVID-19

Club offers practical advice for bunkering operations, and handling mandatory sampling which is taken during the bunker supply operation in the presence of all parties.

Published

6 years ago

April 9, 2020

Admin

Maritime mutual protection and indemnity organisation The American Club on Tuesday (7 April) published a circular outlining best practices for bunkering operations to ensure the safety of crew and limit the spread of COVID-19:

BUNKERING AND COVID-19

COVID-19 has created a number of challenges for shipowners relevant to compliance with the January 1, 2020 amendments to the MARPOL 73/78 Convention, Annex VI, regulation 18, Fuel Oil Quality.

The “MARPOL delivered sample” as per MARPOL73/78, Annex VI, regulation 18 is the mandatory sampling which needs to be taken during the entire bunker supply operation in the presence of all parties, i.e. vessel personnel, bunker supplier and, if present, the bunker inspector (see the attached diagram).

It is important that all parties involved should establish prior knowledge about the local regulations of the port in which the bunkering is to take place.

The shipowner’s surveyor, vessel’s Chief Engineer or other representative, charterer’s surveyor and bunker supplier representative should then agree to a COVID-19 survey protocol, including their policies in regard to physical contact, before bunker operations are commenced. At a minimum, the protocol should address, but not necessarily be limited to, the following elements of best practice, taking account of Chapter 1 of the Club’s Bunkering—A Compendium:

“Social distancing” measures already recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) should be implemented – individuals standing at least six feet (two meters) apart from each other;
All involved should wear the proper PPEs including masks, goggles, and gloves as per paragraph 8.4 of ME%.1/Circ.875/Add.1, Guidance on Best Practice for Fuel Oil Suppliers for Assuring the Quality of Fuel Oil Delivered to Ships);
The bunker station should be disinfected before and after the operation. All vessels should already be equipped with disinfectants appropriate for COVID-19. Disinfection should include flanges, ends of bunker hoses, valve handles, handrails, platforms etc. If a vessel does not have chlorine-based disinfectants, they should be ordered from appropriate suppliers;
The ends of bunker hoses and flanges should be disinfected as soon as hoses are swung aboard;
Gangways, handrails and access areas should be cleaned and disinfected;
Shore personnel should not be allowed into the vessel’s accommodation other than at a designated place such as the cargo control room, stevedores’ offices, etc. which are specifically identified as areas under hygienic control;
When bunkering, no physical contact should be made with barge personnel, and all paperwork should be handled with latex gloves;
Crew members should be reminded to wear PPE at all times when taking drip samples and drip sample equipment should always be disinfected prior to use;
Sample bottles should be disinfected before they are handed to shore personnel;
All coveralls should be laundered following completion of the bunkering operation.

Use of cameras or video recorders in lieu of personnel being on site during bunkering and fuel sampling

In lieu of bunkering personnel being physically present onboard the vessel for the duration of the bunkering operation, and the collection and securing of bunker samples, shipowners, charterers and bunker suppliers may consider the use of explosion-proof cameras or video recorders. Subject to mutual agreement between the parties, the taking, sealing and tagging of samples might be witnessed through a camera or video recorder and the exchange accomplished without the need for bunker barge crew to come on board the vessel.

If cameras or video recorders are to be used, a protocol should be established for how these recordings are shared between the shipowner, charterer and the bunker supplier.

Members are reminded that the Club maintains dedicated website space containing a range of information and updates on both the COVID-19 virus and bunkering, respectively, at: https://www.american-club.com/page/infectious_diseases and https://www.american-club.com/page/bunker-fuels

A full copy of the circular is available for download here.

Photo credit: Sergio Souza
Published: 9 April, 2020

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.

Published

12 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

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.

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

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.

Published

12 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

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.

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

LNG Bunkering

PIL’s LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Published

12 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

PIL's LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

Singapore-based Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd on Monday (20 July) said its first 13,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel, Kota Elok, recently made her maiden call to Singapore on 15 July.

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

The vessel also incorporated energy-saving features and digital technologies to reduce fuel consumption and enhance operational performance, as well as a bow windshield to improve aerodynamics, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions over the course of long-haul voyages.

“Following Singapore, Kota Elok will continue her voyage on our East Coast Service 1 (ES1) route to South America, calling at ports in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina before returning to Asia,” the company said in a social media post.

Kota Elok also became PIL’s first vessel to receive Lloyd’s Register certification for compliance with the IACS UR E26 and UR E27 cyber security requirements.

Developed by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), UR E26 and UR E27 are mandatory cyber resilience requirements for newbuild vessels contracted from 1 July 2024.

Photo credit: Pacific International Lines
Published: 21 July, 2026