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BIMCO publishes two 2020 sulphur clauses for Time Charter Parties

Marine Sulphur Content Clause and Fuel Transition Clause now available on the BIMCO website.
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BIMCO on Monday published two sulphur content related bunker clauses on its website and on SmartCon, the shipping association’s contract editing solution.
The two clauses are:

  • BIMCO 2020 Marine Sulphur Content Clause for Time Charter Parties
  • BIMCO 2020 Fuel Transition Clause for Time Charter Parties.

“The subcommittee’s objective has been to create clauses that are simple and practical, and I’m confident we’ve achieved that objective,” says Peter Eckhardt, chairperson of the drafting committee and Head of Chartering and Operations at Reederei F. Laeisz.

BIMCO 2020 Marine Sulphur Content Clause

The 2020 Marine Fuel Sulphur Content Clause replaces the BIMCO Fuel Sulphur Content Clause 2005 and can be incorporated into time charter parties as of now. The new clause forms an integral part of BIMCO’s Suite of Standard Bunker Clauses for Time Charter Parties.

“By making the 2020 Marine Fuel Sulphur Content Clause part of the Suite of Standard Bunker Clauses, it means that we have been able to keep the revised clause short and simple,” says Grant Hunter, BIMCO head of Contracts & Clauses.

“It is written as a straightforward compliance provision with the sulphur content requirements of MARPOL Annex VI.”

Issues relating to the specifications, grades and quality/suitability of the fuel supplied by time charterers are covered by existing standard bunker clauses in time charters, so these should not need to be amended in relation to sulphur content alone, notes BIMCO.

BIMCO 2020 Fuel Transition Clause

The 2020 Fuel Transition Clause is not part of the Suite of Bunker Clauses as it deals with the one-off event of switching from 3.50% sulphur content fuel to 0.50% sulphur content, it adds.

The switch is a process that will need to be started before 1 January 2020 and so requires the owners and charterers to cooperate to ensure a smooth transition.

The clause is designed to provide a fair allocation of responsibilities and liabilities between the owners and charterers in managing remaining stocks of fuel that will become non-compliant under MARPOL from 1 January 2020.

The clause has been specifically designed for time charter parties that will span 1 January 2020.

“We would also recommend incorporating the clause into time charter parties with redelivery very close to 1 January 2020 where delays or extensions might result in the ship redelivering after the date the change comes into force,” Hunter says.

A joint development

The 2020 Bunker Clauses have been developed by a team comprised of owners, charterers, bunker suppliers, P&I clubs and legal experts.

BIMCO is grateful to the following individuals for their assistance:

  • Peter Eckhardt, F. Laeisz, Hamburg (Chairperson)
  • Daniel Chu, Navig8, London
  • Nicola Ioannou, Oceanfleet Shipping, Athens
  • Ann Shazell, Cargill Ocean Transportation, Geneva
  • Rob Crees, World Fuel Services, London
  • Tiejha Smyth, North of England P&I Club, Newcastle
  • Paul Dean and Alessio Sbraga, HFW, London
  • Michele White, INTERTANKO, London

Photo credit: BIMCO
Published: 11 December, 2018
 

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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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July 22, 2026

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RESIZED singapore high court

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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July 21, 2026

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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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1 day ago

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July 21, 2026

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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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