Business

Singapore marine fuels firm WT Marine in OFAC sanctions blacklist

Tan Wee Beng, a director and significant shareholder of Wee Tiong (S) Pte Ltd, now wanted by the FBI.

Published

8 years ago

October 26, 2018

Admin

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Thursday designated two Singapore-based entities and an individual for laundering money in support of North Korea.

The two entities are marine fuels company WT Marine Pte Ltd and commodity trading house Wee Tiong (S) Pte Ltd; the individual is Tan Wee Beng, a director and significant shareholder of Wee Tiong.

Over several years, dating back to at least 2011, Tan Wee Beng and at least one other individual in his company fulfilled millions of dollars in commodities contracts for North Korea, according to OFAC.

To do so, Tan Wee Beng made a concerted effort to obfuscate payment origins and structure transactions to avoid regulatory scrutiny. He and his co-conspirators also knew of and took efforts to evade financial sanctions on North Korea.

In at least one instance, when a wire payment was rejected, Tan Wee Beng and Wee Tiong (S) Pte Ltd orchestrated payment in bulk cash, hand-delivered to a North Korean.

In 2017, the JW JEWEL (IMO: 9402964) and NYMEX STAR (IMO: 9078191), both Singapore-flagged oil tankers operated and managed by WT Marine Pte Ltd, engaged in illicit economic activity that involves or supports the Government of North Korea.

“Tan Wee Beng and his co-conspirators made deliberate efforts to launder money through the U.S. financial system on behalf of North Korea,” said OFAC Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.

“Governments, financial institutions, and other companies worldwide need to be on high alert to these types of schemes. The U.S. government will not overlook these deceptive practices.

“We are deeply committed to the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, and Treasury will continue to enforce and implement sanctions until that time.”

The following individual has been added to OFAC's SDN List:

TAN, Wee Beng, 51 Siang Kuang Avenue, Singapore; DOB 14 Feb 1977; Gender Male; Secondary sanctions risk: North Korea Sanctions Regulations, sections 510.201 and 510.210; Director of Wee Tiong (S) Pte Ltd; Managing Director of WT Marine Pte Ltd (individual) [DPRK].

The following entities have been added to OFAC's SDN List:

WEE TIONG (S) PTE LTD (a.k.a. WEE TIONG S PTE LTD), 1813 Geylang Bahru, #01-01 Kallang Distripark 339715, Singapore; 64D Kallang Pudding Road, #02-00, Wee Tiong Building 349323, Singapore; 02-00 Wee Tiong Building, 64D, Kallang Pudding Road 349323, Singapore; 1805 Geylang Bahru #01-03 339711, Singapore; Secondary sanctions risk: North Korea Sanctions Regulations, sections 510.201 and 510.210; Registration Number 199308567K [DPRK].

WT MARINE PTE LTD, #11-09 Parkway Parade 449269, Singapore; 64D Kallang Pudding Road, #09-00 Wee Tiong Building 349323, Singapore; Secondary sanctions risk: North Korea Sanctions Regulations, sections 510.201 and 510.210; Registration Number 201616714Z [DPRK].

The following vessels have been added to OFAC's SDN List:

JW JEWEL Singapore flag; Secondary sanctions risk: North Korea Sanctions Regulations, sections 510.201 and 510.210; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9402964 (vessel) [DPRK] (Linked To: WT MARINE PTE LTD).

NYMEX STAR Singapore flag; Secondary sanctions risk: North Korea Sanctions Regulations, sections 510.201 and 510.210; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9078191 (vessel) [DPRK] (Linked To: WT MARINE PTE LTD).

Photo credit: FBI
Published: 26 October, 2018

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

37 minutes 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

49 minutes 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

51 minutes 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