Business

VPS: Further sulphur emissions reduction action

Testing of sulphur levels within marine fuels should always be a key priority for ship owners and operators to ensure their fuel is compliant to the ever-increasing ECA regions across the world.

Published

4 years ago

January 16, 2023

Admin

Marine fuels testing company VPS on Thursday (5 January) released an article discussing the recent move by IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee to establish Mediterranean Emission Control Area (ECA) for sulphur oxides and particulate matter from 1 May 2025:

Following the adoption of the resolution MEPC.361(79) of establishing a Mediterranean Emission Control Area (ECA) for sulphur oxides and particulate matter from 1 May 2025, by the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee, it has been reported, the European Commission has welcomed this action to further tighten sulphur emissions from shipping.

The Commission claims that by limiting the sulphur content to 0.10% within marine fuels, or use an exhaust gas cleaning system, the Mediterranean ECA, will eventually cut sulphur emissions by almost 80% and particulate matter by 25%, providing considerable health benefits to the environment and improve human health.

Estimations suggest approximately 300,000 premature deaths per year are attributable to air pollution in the EU and this latest ECA could see a reduction of at least 1,000 premature deaths and a drop in child asthma cases by 2,000 per year within the Mediterranean basin.

In addition to this news, Israel’s government have recently announced they will impose a 0.10% sulphur limit for ships entering Israeli ports and designated anchorage areas as soon as February 2023. All of which further adds to the reduction of shipping’s emissions and improving our environment.

Back in January 2021, VPS compared the impact of the IMO introduction of MARPOL Annex VI back in 2005 to the sulphur levels tested by VPS in 2020 reporting an incredible 67% reduction in sulphur oxide emissions from global shipping over that time period:

However, towards the end of 2022, VPS testing and reporting showed that VLSFO sulphur off-specification fuels were still being delivered across most regions of the world:

Overview of global Sulphur statistics | November 2022

Global VLSFO sulphur non-compliance during the final quarter of 2022, remained relatively constant at 1.2% for all VPS-tested VLSFO stems. Focusing on Europe, we can see in the graphic below that 3% of all VLSFOs bunkered in the region showed a sulphur level of >0.50%, with 0.7% being >0.53%:

VLSFO Sulphur Compliance | Europe | November vs October 2022

There is firm scientific evidence that reducing the sulphur content of marine fuels is having and will continue to have, a positive impact upon human health and the environment.

Whilst there is now an additional environmental focus for the world’s shipping fleet to reduce carbon dioxide and green house gas emissions, the testing of sulphur levels within marine fuels, should always be a key priority for ship owners and operators, in order to ensure their fuel is compliant to not only the global cap, but the ever-increasing ECA regions across the world.

Photo credit: VPS
Published: 16 January, 2023

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

15 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

15 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

15 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