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Singapore: Helmsman to hold ‘Masterclass’ on commodity trading contracts at SMU Law Academy

Course includes topics on valid and binding transactions; quality or quantity disputes; shipping issues; contract termination; claims; insolvency and others. Registration closes 25 February 2021.

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Singapore-based specialist international shipping and commodity law firm Helmsman LLC is organising a Masterclass on commodity trading contracts at the SMU Law Academy in March 2021.

The Masterclass is designed for experienced commodity trading personnel (legal, credit, risk, compliance, traders and operations) interested in developing a deeper understanding and higher level of expertise in commodity trading contracts.

Participants should have at least an intermediate level (3 years and up) of experience in commodity trading.

“Commodity trading law is fast emerging as a specialist practice. This area of law is particularly important to Singapore, being a major international commodity trading hub,” a Helmsman spokeswoman told Manifold Times.

“The commodity trading contract is a vital document for commodity traders. Often, it determines who makes and who loses money when things go wrong. It is a complex document and its implications are often overlooked.”

The six-hour course will be taught by class-leading commodities trading specialist lawyers – Ian Teo (Managing Director, Helmsman LLC) and Chen Zhida (Associate Director, Helmsman LLC) – who will share real life case studies and experience to illustrate the practical application of commodities trading law.

The one-day course is seminar-based and revolve around hypothetical problems based on real life cases discussed in an interactive setting.

The issues which will be discussed in-depth include:

  • When is a valid and binding transaction concluded? This issue is especially important in a volatile market. Traders are often faced with a situation where counterparties try to renege on a deal when the prices fall or rise rapidly. How can traders protect themselves and achieve certainty?
  • What happens if there is a quality or quantity disputes? Issues relating to final and binding analysis, and evidence collection. – Payment terms and security – examining risks in unsecured trade, letters of credit issues and how to “secure” the payment
  • Shipping issues – laycan, delivery period and various INCOTERMS
  • When can you terminate a contract? This issue often arises in a rapidly rising or falling market. Can a trader validly terminate a contract in order to take advantage of the volatile market?
  • How much money can you claim when the other trader breaches the contract? This is a complicated area of the law – we will also examine what kind of losses can be claimed and whether hedging losses can be included.
  • Insolvency of the other trader – how do you protect yourself against insolvency risk?

Details of the Legal Issues in Commodity Trading Contracts course:

Date: 4 March 2021
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Venue: Singapore Management University School of Law
Practise Area: Admiralty Practice / Shipping
Training Level: Advanced
Registration: 25 February 2021 (Last day)

Note: Interested participants may register through the link here.

 

Published: 5 February, 2021

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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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