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Singapore: Consort Bunkers welcomes first of seven 7,999 dwt ‘K’ series newbuild bunker tankers to bunkering fleet

‘Consort Bunkers will be operating the youngest bunkering fleet in Singapore after complete delivery of the ‘K’ series vessels by late-2023,’ Mr SK Yeo, Founder of Consort Bunkers, tells Manifold Times.

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Singapore-based bunker supplier and logistics services provider Consort Bunkers Pte Ltd on Monday (19 September) took delivery of Pearl Kate, learned Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times.

The Singapore-flagged 7,999 dwt marine refuelling vessel is the first of seven ‘K’ series newbuild bunker tankers ordered by the company in 2020.

“Consort Bunkers will be operating the youngest bunkering fleet in Singapore after complete delivery of the ‘K’ series vessels by late-2023,” shared Mr SK Yeo, Founder of Consort Bunkers.

“The additional seven new bunker tankers mean we will be owning close to 20 bunker barges.”

According to Mr Yeo, this is the sixth time Consort Bunkers has placed an order for newbuilds over the past 25 years (every 3-4 years since 1995) after being established in 1988.

He was keen to point out the newbuildings, though constructed at a Chinese yard, are built to Japanese ClassNK standards and incorporate several green features.

“All of the major machinery and parts of these bunker tankers are from Japan; we are only using the Chinese yard and manpower to install the equipment,” he said.

“Traditionally, Consort Bunkers used to construct its bunker barges in Japan. It was only from 2013 we decided to build our newbuildings at China while using Japanese designs and equipment in order to save on cost.”

Another factor influencing cost has been the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic which introduced various issues affecting bunker tanker deliveries within the past two years.

“We were initially expecting an earlier delivery for the ‘K’ series of bunker tankers but the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in physical deliveries of many vessels being delayed by between six to nine months,” Mr Yeo pointed out.

“Recovery from the pandemic has also caused a rise in iron ore, resulting in a 30% increase for the price of steel plates over the last two years. Compared to now, it was much cheaper to place an order for newbuildings two years ago – a fortunate decision which we took.”

Moving forward, Mr Yeo notes Consort Bunkers’ next newbuilding order to include plans for bunker tankers capable of supporting alternative bunker fuel delivery operations.

“We are expecting our next newbuilding order to reflect what the market desires in terms of alternative marine fuels,” he shared.

“We are aware the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has introduced the Maritime Singapore Decarbonisation Blueprint: Working Towards 2050 document and eagerly await to support the shipping industry’s adoption of new types of marine fuels.

“Our next bunker tanker newbuilding order, where we will be building in accordance to market requirements, will be reflective of this.”

Pearl Kate 02

Related: Consort Bunkers acquires five bunker tankers in Q4; orders up to seven more newbuilds from China
Related: Consort Bunkers takes productivity to new levels with latest fleet expansion

 

Photo credit: Consort Bunkers
Published: 22 September, 2022

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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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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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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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