Business

MPA sets record straight on ‘inaccurate claim’ by ITF on “Yangtze Harmony” crew

MPA said ITF has made an inaccurate claim that “Singapore may have contravened the MLC” in its handling of a case involving 13 Filipino seafarers on board arrested Liberian-flagged livestock carrier.

Published

3 years ago

April 24, 2023

Admin

The Maritime and Port Authority on Friday (21 April) released a statement in response to a International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) media release on the plight of crew on board livestock carrier “Yangtze Harmony”:

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has made an inaccurate claim that “Singapore may have contravened the MLC” in its release “ITF secures freedom for 13 abandoned Filipino seafarers stuck in Singapore for 5 months; $1m in backpay won for crews” dated 17 Apr 2023.

The Liberia-flagged livestock carrier, YANGTZE HARMONY, has been under arrest in Singapore as executed by the Sheriff’s Office, Supreme Court since 25 October 2022 pursuant to an application by Posh Projects Pte Ltd to secure its claim for unpaid sums due and owing under a towage contract for the towage of the vessel from Brisbane, Australia to Singapore. The Supreme Court granted a judicial sale of the vessel on 18 January 2023 and the bidding and sale process is underway.

Under Standard A.2.5.1 – Repatriation of the Maritime Labour Convention1, the vessel’s Flag State, which in this case is Liberia, is obliged to make arrangements to repatriate seafarers who are entitled to repatriation, should the shipowner fail to make such arrangements or meet the cost of repatriation. In the event the Flag State fails to repatriate the seafarers, either the Port State, which is the country from which the seafarers are to be repatriated, or the seafarers’ home State(s), may repatriate the seafarers and recover the cost of repatriation from the Flag State. Liberia has been fulfilling its role and obligations as the Flag State for YANGTZE HARMONY throughout this period when the vessel is under arrest, and hence, there was no requirement by Singapore as Port State to assume the obligations to repatriate the crew.

Notwithstanding, as the Port State, MPA kept in close contact throughout this period with Liberia, the Sheriff’s Office and its appointed agent to monitor and facilitate the repatriation plan and ensured that the seafarers’ well-being was taken care of while they were onboard the vessel, the granting of shore leave and the access to medical facilities if required.

There were no restrictions by Sheriff’s Office on the repatriation and the grant of shore leave for all the thirteen seafarers onboard. During this period, three seafarers were granted leave by the Sheriff’s Office to seek medical attention on shore on 16 December 2022. In January 2023, three seafarers were repatriated. On 27 February 2023, the Sheriff’s Office obtained from the Liberian Ship Registry’s dispensation for the minimum manning of the vessel to be reduced from thirteen to nine crew members, which would allow four more seafarers to be repatriated. However, MPA understands the Master and all remaining crew decided then to stay onboard the vessel until the settlement of the outstanding wages owed to them.

In April 2023, all thirteen seafarers who remained onboard had received their outstanding wages for the period from November 2022 to April 2023. The outstanding wages were paid by YANGTZE HARMONY’s Protection & Indemnity(P&I) Insurance club under the financial security insurance in place in respect of the vessel and the arresting party. The remaining outstanding wages in excess of that which the vessel’s P&I Club is legally required to cover were paid by the arresting party and will be recovered by the arresting party from the proceeds of the judicial sale of the vessel. All thirteen seafarers have since been repatriated.

As the Port State, Singapore worked closely with the Flag State and the ship agents to ensure that the seafarers were repatriated and were given the necessary support.

Photo credit: Marine Traffic / Sergei Skriabin
Published: 24 April, 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

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