Events

VPS bags Marine Fuel Testing and Inspection Excellence Award in Singapore

‘As we celebrate this achievement, we also remain committed to our future endeavours in decarbonisation, digitisation, and energy efficiency,’ says firm.

Published

3 years ago

December 5, 2023

Admin

VPS bags Marine Fuel Testing and Inspection Excellence Award in Singapore

Marine fuels testing company VPS on Monday (4 December) said it was honoured with the prestigious Marine Fuel Testing and Inspection Excellence Award at the inaugural Marine Fuels 360 Awards gala dinner held on 29 November at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

VPS said the recognition underscored its steadfast dedication to excellence, innovation, and leadership within the maritime and bunker industry.

The Marine Fuels 360 Awards ceremony is a pioneering event in the marine fuels industry, organised by Informa Markets with an independent global panel of judges, and dedicated to acknowledging remarkable contributions and accomplishments.

The gala dinner, attended by approximately 350 prominent figures from the maritime and bunker sector, served as a platform for industry leaders to gather and recognise outstanding achievements.

“VPS’s recognition in the Marine Fuel Testing and Inspection Excellence category highlights our exceptional technical expertise, professionalism, and dedication to meeting Port State Control’s bunker fuel quality requirements while promoting sustainable bunker procurement practices,” the firm said in a statement.

VPS also announced its three future core areas it will be focusing on moving forward.

“As we celebrate this achievement, we also remain committed to our future endeavours in decarbonisation, digitisation, and energy efficiency. The marine fuels industry is evolving rapidly, and VPS is actively engaged in initiatives related to the viability and realities of alternative fuels,” it said.

“Our focus includes exploring options such as methanol as bunker fuel, where VPS conducted the world’s first quantity and quality survey in Singapore, Egypt and Rotterdam.”

The firm also noted its acquisition of Xyney Maritime and Emsys supports its direction to provide data driven decarbonisation solutions, emissions monitoring and leveraging these with its existing largest database of marine fuel quality.

“This dynamic combination of existing competence with future capabilities, we believe, has been pivotal in winning this prestigious Marine Fuel Testing & Inspection Excellence Award. We are proud of the collective efforts of the entire VPS team that have led to this recognition,” it added.

“This award is a reflection of our dedication to pioneering work and sets the stage for future accomplishments in our journey toward sustainable and efficient maritime practices.”

VPS also said it will continue to be at the forefront of industry advancements, collaborating closely with the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD).

“Our ongoing work on fingerprinting biofuels aims to establish transparent methods for determining the origins of these fuels & thereby provide additional proof of sustainability,” it said.

Photo credit: Informa Markets
Published: 5 December, 2023

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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.

Published

19 hours ago

July 21, 2026

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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

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

19 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

LNG Bunkering

CIMC SOE secures order for 12,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel from Sinopec Clean Energy

Once operational, the vessel is expected to strengthen Sinopec’s domestic coastal LNG bunkering network and help address gaps in China’s alternative fuel bunkering infrastructure.

Published

19 hours ago

July 21, 2026

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CIMC SOE secures order for 12,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel from Sinopec Clean Energy

China’s Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co., Ltd. (CIMC SOE) recently signed a contract with Sinopec (Beijing) Clean Energy Co., Ltd. to build a 12,000-cubic metre (m3) LNG bunkering vessel, according to Chinese maritime media.

The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2028 and will support Sinopec’s efforts to expand its presence in the marine clean energy sector.

Once operational, the vessel is expected to strengthen Sinopec’s domestic coastal LNG bunkering network and help address gaps in China’s LNG bunkering infrastructure.

With this signing , CIMC Pacific Offshore Engineering’s LNG bunkering vessel orderbook is further strengthened, maintaining its leading position in the global market for small and medium-sized LNG bunkering vessels.

The contract also marked another milestone for CIMC SOE, which has seen a sharp increase in orders and business performance this year amid a surge in domestic LNG vessel demand.

Photo credit: Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering
Published: 21 July, 2026