Business

Singapore: Quah Ley Hoon to step down as Chief Executive of MPA on 5 September

Mr Teo Eng Dih, currently Deputy Secretary (Policy) of the Ministry of Defence, will be appointed as Chief Executive (Designate) of MPA from 8 August to 4 September 2022.

Published

4 years ago

August 8, 2022

Admin

Ms Quah Ley Hoon, currently the Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), will be stepping down on 5 September 2022, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Transport on Friday (5 August).

Mr Teo Eng Dih, currently Deputy Secretary (Policy) of the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), will be appointed as Chief Executive (Designate) of MPA from 8 August 2022 to 4 September 2022, concurrent to his appointment in MINDEF, and take over as Chief Executive from 5 September 2022.

Ms Quah Ley Hoon

Ms Quah Ley Hoon was appointed CE (Designate) of MPA on 1 November 2018 and assumed the position of CE on 1 January 2019. Ms Quah played a pivotal role in furthering MPA’s vision as a leading maritime agency driving Singapore’s global maritime aspirations. She led MPA to complete the Tuas Port Phase 1 reclamation in 2021, which was a significant milestone in the development of Singapore’s next-generation port and in sustaining the Port of Singapore’s competitiveness and connectivity to the world. She was also instrumental in leading MPA to navigate the disruptions caused by COVID-19, while pressing on with the development and transformation of Singapore’s international maritime centre and global hub port.

Under Ms Quah’s leadership, MPA responded decisively to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, working in close partnership with the unions, companies and industry associations. Ms Quah initiated the Singapore Shipping Tripartite Alliance Resilience (SG-STAR) Fund in November 2020, the first global tripartite initiative, to work with stakeholders in seafaring nations on sustainable solutions for safe crew changes. To minimise disruptions to the maritime industry, she was instrumental in leading efforts such as Sea-Air-Vaccination Exercise and Sea Crew Vaccination Initiative to safeguard the health of both local maritime personnel as well as crew members onboard ships calling at Singapore.

Ms Quah is a strong proponent for transformation of the maritime industry, notably in pushing forward the decarbonisation and digitalisation agenda. To support and accelerate maritime decarbonisation, Ms Quah worked with the Singapore Maritime Foundation to establish the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) with private sector partners in August 2021. The GCMD has been collaborating with the industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. In March 2022, MPA launched the Maritime Singapore Decarbonisation Blueprint which charts ambitious and concrete long-term strategies to support the maritime industry’s decarbonisation.

Maritime Singapore took significant steps forward in digital maturity during Ms Quah’s tenure when she led MPA to launch the digitalPORT@SGTM, which streamlined port clearance forms across multiple agencies into a one-stop digital clearance platform. This had enabled the industry to save up to 100,000 man-hours annually since its launch in 2019.

For her contributions to the maritime sector, Ms Quah was awarded the Medal of Commendation by NTUC in May 2022 for her work in improving workers’ wages, welfare and work prospects for seafarers amidst COVID-19, and also the Legion d’Honneur by the French Government in June 2022, for her work in keeping Singapore’s port and services open during COVID-19, and enhancing ties with France on maritime.

Prior to serving in MPA, Ms Quah was the Chief Editor of Channel News Asia, MediaCorp. Ms Quah had also served in leadership positions in the Public Service, namely, Ministry of Finance (MOF), the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), and then-Ministry of Community, Youth & Sports (MCYS) for more than 15 years.

Mr Teo Eng Dih

As Deputy Secretary (Policy) of MINDEF, Mr Teo is responsible for MINDEF’s defence policy and diplomacy, strategic and public communications, and Total Defence. Mr Teo oversaw the expansion of defence cooperation with international partners and strengthening of collaborations at the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) platform. He also enhanced MINDEF’s public engagement initiatives, including revamping the Singapore Discovery Centre. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Teo helped to coordinate MINDEF’s efforts to support the national fight against COVID-19.

Prior to MINDEF, Mr Teo was Special Assistant to then-Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and had served in various government agencies in the areas of Policy and Planning, Manpower, Strategy, Technology, Climate Change, Enterprise Services and International Trade. He obtained a Master in Chemical Engineering First Class Honours from Imperial College of Science and Technology and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 8 August, 2022

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

17 hours 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

17 hours 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

17 hours 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