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NewOcean records USD 304.3 million loss, portion of SG bunkering business to remain

‘A portion of our marine bunkering business in Singapore will remain, with a focus on oil products of relatively stable gross profits and high sulphur fuel oil,’ it said.

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New Ocean Energy 1

Hong Kong-listed NewOcean Energy Holdings Limited (NewOcean) on Wednesday (31 March) reported in its unaudited financial year 2020 results (FY 2020) that its gross profit margin derived from oil bunkering business has been substantially reduced or turned into gross loss margin due to COVID-19 and the slump in global oil prices in first half year of 2020.

The group said its overall gross margin for oil products and electronic components decreased to 1.0% as compared to 6.8% last year.

The group recorded net loss of HKD 2.366 billion (USD 304.3 million) during FY 2020, mainly due to the drop in gross profit and additional impairment provision for goodwill, intangible assets, trade receivables, other receivables, inventories and property, plant and equipment, etc.

Its revenue for the year decreased by around 30.99% to approximately HKD 19.180 billion attributed primarily to the fall in average price of energy products as well as the drop in total sales volume. In FY 2019, NewOcean saw HKD 27.791 billion in revenue.

The group’s sales volume for energy products fell to approximately 5.64 million metric tonnes in 2020 compared to 7.51 million metric tonnes in 2019. 

Specifically, the company’s oil products business generated total sales revenue of HKD 224.1 million with a gross margin of 2.04% in FY 2020 compared to HKD 848.2 million revenue and a gross margin of 4.4% in FY 2019.

For the past twenty years, NewOcean said it has always kept up its obligations and has never breached any debt covenants. However very unfortunately, from April 2020 onwards, a series of unexpected negative events caused banks to freeze the group’s credit and request for early repayment.

The pandemic, slump in oil prices, and the stand-off between China and the United States seriously affected the group’s business especially the oil bunkering business in Hong Kong and Singapore and the electronic business in the People’s Republic of China.

As a result, the gross profit margin derived from oil bunkering business and electronic business has been substantially reduced as compared to last year or in certain cases turned into gross loss margin.

Due to severely unfavourable market conditions, some of the group’s key competitors in the oil products market sold large lots of inventory at bargain prices to cash in during March and April.

NewOcean said it was a tough decision to for the group to reluctantly follow suit and slash prices under the pressure of its mounting inventories over the successive months, resulting in a steep dive in its overall gross profits for energy products.

Adverse market sentiment also caused its oil product clients to delay the repayment of trade or other receivables to a significant extent; for which, an allowance for impairment loss of about HKD 760 million had been made.

In 2020, more than 10 monohull [single hull] oil tankers had been written off due to a change in the specifications of oil tankers in  Mainland China, and the group had shut down a number of auto-gas refueling stations because of the decreasing demand, resulting in a loss of approximately HKD 120 million for the disposition of the above fixed assets.

With limited liquidity from to the lack of support from banks to back its business NewOcean said it decided to scale down both its marine and on-land bunkering businesses; and hence, an allowance for impairment of approximately HKD 420 million was made at the end of the year.

Additionally, due to the crash of Hin Leong Trading (Pte.) Ltd. and the slump in global oil prices during the first half of 2020, many banks had extended requests to the group limit or terminate the utilization of letters of credit and other short-term credit facilities.

In order to ease pressure on liquidity and improve the financial position of the group, NewOcean’s directors implemented a range of measures, including opening negotiations with banks which resulted in an agreement for debt restructuring.

“With the significant scale-down of our oil products business, we are committed to focus not only on the sales of products with high gross profits, but also on lowering our operating costs,” said NewOcean.

“As the costs of refueling business in Hong Kong are relatively high, the group will step up its efforts to sell wholesale to our clients who are distributors, and to lease its existing oil tankers to wholesalers or list them for sale.

“As to our business in Singapore, a certain extent of the marine bunkering business will remain, with oil products of relatively stable gross profits and high sulphur fuel oil being the key focus of the business. 

“Meanwhile, the group will take the occupancy of a small portion of a total leased capacity of 300,000 tonnes in a floating storage unit, while the remainder will be leased to third parties to keep running costs down.”

Related: NewOcean Energy issues USD 304.8 million net loss warning ahead of FY 2020 results
Related: NewOcean proposal to adjourn court scheme meeting approved by creditors
Related: NewOcean creditors meeting application granted by Supreme Court of Bermuda
Related: NewOcean planning creditors meeting, foundation of debt restructuring plan laid out
Related: NewOcean records USD 174 million 1H 2020 loss; Singapore bunkering business remains
Related: NewOcean Energy publishes profit warning to shareholders ahead of 1H 2020 results
Related: NewOcean Energy records 66% bunker sales jump to 4.5 million mt in FY 2019


Photo credit: NewOcean Energy
Published: 1 April, 2021

 

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Winding up

Singapore: Lugalis Shipping Pte Ltd to be wound up voluntarily

Liquidators have been appointed at an extraordinary general meeting held on 31 July for the purpose of winding up company’s affair, according to Government Gazette notice.

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RESIZED Drew Beamer

Several resolutions for Lugalis Shipping Pte Ltd were made during an extraordinary meeting held on 31 July, according to a post in the Government Gazette on Thursday (6 August).

The duly passed resolutions were:

AS SPECIAL RESOLUTIONS

  1. That the Company be wound up voluntarily pursuant to Section 160(1) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 (the “Act”).
  2. That Lau Chin Huat and Yeo Boon Keong, as the Joint and Several Liquidators, be and are hereby authorised to divide among the contributory in cash or in specie the whole or any part of the assets of the company.
  3. That the Joint and Several Liquidators be at the liberty to exercise all or any of the powers conferred on themselves pursuant to the Act.

AS ORDINARY RESOLUTIONS

  1. That Lau Chin Huat and Yeo Boon Keong, of 50 Havelock Road, #02-767, Singapore 160050 be appointed as the Joint and Several Liquidators for the purpose of winding up the company.
  2. That the remuneration and winding up disbursements of the Joint and Several Liquidators be fixed on a time basis at rates as agreed in the engagement letter.
  3. That the Joint and Several Liquidators be authorised to destroy all books and papers of the Company and of the Joint and Several Liquidators 5 years after the date of dissolution of the Company pursuant to Section 195(2) of the Act.

In another notice, the liquidators of Lugalis Shipping said creditors for the company are required on or before the 7 September to send in their names and addresses and particulars of their debts or claims, and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to the liquidators. 

Liquidators may also require creditors to, “come in and prove their debts or claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice, or in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts are proved.”

The liquidators can be contacted at the following address:

Lau Chin Huat
Yeo Boon Keong
Joint and Several Liquidators
c/o
Technic Inter-Asia Pte Ltd
50 Havelock Road, #02-767, Singapore 160050
Tel: 6561 0398 Fax: 6222 1855
Email: [email protected] 

 

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 7 August, 2026

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Biofuel

MESD study finds existing Singapore harbour craft ready for B100 bio bunker fuel adoption

Results demonstrate the qualified readiness of existing large harbour craft in Singapore for B100 adoption, provided that appropriate fuel-handling, storage and additive practices are implemented.

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MESD study finds existing Singapore harbour craft ready for B100 bio bunker fuel adoption

Singapore’s Maritime Energy & Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence (MESD) on Wednesday (5 August) said the findings of its latest study indicate that existing large harbour craft in Singapore are ready for the adoption of B100 biodiesel, provided appropriate fuel handling, storage and additive practices are in place.

The findings were published in MESD’s public report, Study on the Readiness of Existing Large Harbour Craft for B100 Biodiesel in Singapore.

“Overall, the results demonstrate the qualified readiness of existing large harbour craft in Singapore for B100 adoption, provided that appropriate fuel-handling, storage and additive practices are implemented,” MESD said in a social media post. 

“This represents an important step towards supporting the wider adoption of sustainable marine fuels and advancing Singapore’s maritime decarbonisation journey.”

The study evaluated fuel storage stability, engine performance, emissions and operational readiness through controlled laboratory testing and sea trials involving a tugboat and a bunker tanker.

MESD said the findings are highly encouraging, which include:

  • Stable engine performance was maintained throughout the 200-hour sea trials, with no significant power loss, abnormal fuel-consumption trends or critical operational disruptions.
  • Antioxidant additives improved oxidation stability and helped reduce the risk of fuel degradation during storage.
  • B100 achieved brake thermal efficiency comparable to diesel, while producing lower carbon monoxide and particulate matter emissions, with a modest increase in nitrogen oxide emissions.

Led by the MESD, the study was conducted in collaboration with KST Maritime Pte Ltd, V-Bunkers Tankers, Alpha biofuels, Aderco, Maritec Naias and IHI Power Systems Co Ltd.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)​ and the ​Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI)​ also contributed to the study. 

MESD added that further research on long-term engine endurance, fuel stability and material compatibility is ongoing under its FAME 1000 project, with a related public report expected to be released later this year.

Note: The report can be accessed here.

 

Photo credit: Maritime Energy & Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence
Published: 7 August, 2026

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Methanol

COSCO Shipping deploys methanol-ready grain carrier on South America-China routes

“Guo Liang Hai” is equipped with a smart management system, low-carbon design features and a methanol-ready fuel interface, supporting future energy transition pathways.

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COSCO Shipping deploys methanol-ready grain carrier on South America-China routes

COSCO Shipping on Thursday (6 August) said a methanol-ready 80,000 DWT multi-purpose grain carrier, GUO LIANG HAI, has officially been delivered and entered service.

At nearly 230 metres in length, Guo Liang Hai is equipped with a smart management system, low-carbon design features and a methanol-ready fuel interface, supporting future energy transition pathways.

“As the sixth vessel in its series, she is part of the world’s first 80,000 DWT vessel class specifically designed for grain transportation. But grain is only part of the story,” the company said in a social media post. 

The company said the vessel combines the efficiency of a bulk carrier with the flexibility of a multi-purpose ship. 

In addition to commodities such as soybeans, maize and wheat, it can also transport grain and dry bulk cargo, containers, wind power equipment, rolling stock and rail equipment, new energy vehicles and large-scale industrial machinery.

“Already deployed on routes between South America and China, vessels in this series create value in both directions, carrying agricultural imports while supporting exports of Chinese-made equipment and technology,” the company added.

 

Photo credit: COSCO Shipping
Published: 7 August, 2026

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