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Singapore advises shipping community on Wuhan Coronavirus precautionary measures

MPA has put up health advisories at the sea checkpoints to inform travellers and ship crew on the precautionary measures to take when travelling.
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The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore on Saturday (1 February) released an extension of precautionary measures to minimise spread of the Wuhan Coronavirus for harbour craft community, pleasure craft community and shipping community:

Since 24 January 2020, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has implemented temperature screening at all sea checkpoints, including ferry and cruise terminals, PSA terminals and Jurong Port, for inbound travellers. MPA has also put up health advisories at the sea checkpoints to inform travellers and ship crew on the precautionary measures to take when travelling, as well as to remain vigilant and adopt good hygiene practices. 

Some shipping companies have taken additional precautionary measures such as disallowing shore leave for personnel in China ports, mandatory temperature checks, keeping a log of crew movements and restricting staff travel to China. 

In line with Singapore Ministry of Health’s (MOH) press release dated 31 January 2020 (Annex 1), the MPA will extend the precautionary measures to include passengers and crew members with recent travel history to mainland China within the last 14 days, as well as ships whose previous ports of call in the last 14 days included mainland China. This will take effect from 1 February 2020, 2359h. 

Ships can continue to berth at terminals to carry out operations. 

Advice for shipping community 

MPA advises the shipping community to adhere closely to the health advisory in Annex 2. The National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Port Health requires all arriving vessels with crew and passengers that have called at ports in mainland China in the past 14 days to submit the Maritime Declaration of Health Form. MPA also urged all crew members on-board to have their temperature taken twice a day. There are also guidelines on how to isolate unwell crew and passengers. For guidance on the Page 2 of 9 disinfection protocols of common areas and rooms in the vessel, please refer to the NEA’s website for the Interim Guidelines for Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection of Areas Exposed to Confirmed Case(s) of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in NonHealthcare Commercial Premises, if needed. If any of their crew or passengers are unwell, they should report the incident to the Marine Safety Control Centre at 6325 2488/2489. 

Managers/supervisors of terminal operators, agents, contractors and service providers are to take note of the health advisory in Annex 3 and bring it to the attention of staff who are required to work on board ships. 

Advice for Singapore-Registered Vessels 

Ship owners, managers, operators, agents and masters of Singaporeregistered vessels should monitor the health of their crew closely. Masters of such vessels are required to report to their company, MPA and destination port authorities, if their crew are unwell, experience respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, runny nose, shortness of breath) or feel feverish. They should also make the necessary arrangements to seek medical attention. Refer to the health advisory in Annex 4. 

Measures by Regional Ferry Operators 

MPA-licensed regional ferry operators have been conducting outbound temperature screenings to ensure no febrile passengers board the ferries. In addition, the ferry operator will disinfect the ferry after every trip. 

Measures by Port Terminal Operators 

PSA and Jurong Port are also taking precautionary measures for employees returning to Singapore from mainland China. Some of these measures include allowing eligible staff to telecommute and providing frontline staff with paid Leave of Absence where they are unable to work remotely. 

The following Annex 2, Annex 3 and Annex 4 of the protection measures can be downloaded here.

 

Photo credit: Ehpien on Flickr
Published: 3 February, 2020

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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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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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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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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.

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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

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