Business

Sri Lanka: Hambantota port bunker tank farm certified by Lloyd’s Register

Oil storage terminal and two oil jetties have been awarded FSS Certification after a comprehensive approval process and an impartial third-party assessment.

Published

5 years ago

January 10, 2022

Admin

The Hambantota International Port (HIP) on Monday (10 January) said it has received FSS certification (Fitness for Service) for their tank farm facility from Lloyd’s Register (LR) – a milestone which it believes will further strengthen the HIP brand in the maritime world.

The port was awarded Lloyd’s certification, after a comprehensive approval process and an impartial third-party assessment. The entire process was handled by HIP’s Department of Energy Services who worked with Lloyd’s Register Marine & Offshore Asia LLP, in achieving the recognition.

Located just 10 nautical miles (19 km), from the world’s busiest maritime route linking Europe and Asia, HIP’s fully functioning tank farm facility for bunker fuel supply, provides a huge advantage to the vast number of vessels plying this route.

The high performance in bunkering volumes handled by HIP last year, underpins the potential the port has for this business.

Johnson Liu, CEO of Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) says the recognition by a trusted International organisation like the Lloyd’s Register, will not only strengthen the confidence the international maritime community has in the port, but will also help boost Sri Lanka’s oil and gas industry.

“As we enter the new year, we are confident that we will see phenomenal growth rates not only in bunkering but also in other services offered by HIP. As much as we see the importance of safety protocols being maintained to the highest standards within the port, we are also confident that our efficiency in delivery continues to improve. It is the combination of all these factors that fuel our growth,” says the CEO.

There were two phases to the oil tank refurbishment project undertaken by HIPG. Both phases, i.e. the oil storage terminal and two oil jetties have been awarded FFS Certification by Lloyd’s. The storage network has 11 tanks, associated pipelines and 8 loading/unloading arms of two jetties, which are all included in the certification.

Currently HIP has a maximum storage capacity of 51,000 m3 for Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) and 23,000 m3 for Marine Diesel Oil (MDO), held in utmost safe conditions, verified by Lloyds.

The certification is in line with HIP’s objective of providing bunker fuels and related products that are compliant with international maritime organisation (IMO) standards.

The IMO introduced a 0.5% m/m (mass by mass) Sulphur cap on bunkers for ships operating outside emission control areas in January 2020. With this regulation, the use of VLSFO will see a considerable increase in comparison with HSFO (High Sulphur Fuel Oil).

hip tank farm certified by lloyds register 2

Site inspection – Standing from left: Liu Shengshan- Construction Manager, Sinopec Construction LLC; Wang Chuanzheng- Deputy project Manager, Sinopec Construction LLC; Sarathchandra Kumara – Senior Specialist-Energy Services; Ambrish Bansal Vice President – Business Advisory & Consulting Lloyd’s Register; SL. Kulkarni- Senior Inspector Oil & Gas – Lloyd’s Register.

Photo credit: Hambantota International Port
Published: 11 January, 2022

Winding up

Singapore: Notice of intended dividend issued for Xihe Holdings’ subsidiaries

Creditors will need to produce proofs of debt to liquidators of Da Xin Tankers and Nan Chiau Maritime by 5 August, according to Government Gazette notice.

Published

31 minutes ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

Two notices to declare the intended dividend of Xihe Holdings’ subsidiaries to their creditors have been posted on the Government Gazette on Wednesday (22 July).

The subsidiaries are Da Xin Tankers Pte Ltd and Nan Chiau Maritime Pte Ltd.

The following are the details of the notices of intended dividend:

Name of Company : Da Xin Tankers (Pte) Ltd (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No. : 198400895W
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 5 August 2026 at 5:00 pm by email to [email protected]
Name of Liquidators : Paresh Tribhovan Jotangia and Ho May Kee
Address : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960

Name of Company : Nan Chiau Maritime (Pte.) Ltd. (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No.: 200814296Z
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 5 August 2026 at 5:00 pm by email to [email protected]
Name of Liquidators : Paresh Tribhovan Jotangia and Ho May Kee
Address : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960

Photo credit: steve pb from Pixabay
Published: 23 July, 2026

Biofuel

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

Company says it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply.

Published

33 minutes ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

South Korean petroleum and refining company S-Oil on Wednesday (22 July) said it has started supplying B30 very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), as the company seeks to support shipping’s decarbonisation efforts and growing demand for lower-carbon bunker fuels.

The company said its B30 VLSFO contains 30% sustainable biofuel blended with conventional VLSFO and can be used without requiring modifications to existing vessels, enabling shipowners to comply more readily with emissions regulations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU).

S-Oil said it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply. The system combines VLSFO produced at its Onsan refinery with biofuel production facilities and storage infrastructure in the Ulsan region, allowing the entire process to be carried out within a single logistics hub.

According to the company, the integrated supply chain reduces transportation requirements during production while improving supply efficiency and reliability.

S-Oil also highlighted Ulsan Port as a strategic location for marine biofuel supply, noting the port has strong demand for bio-bunker fuels, particularly from car carriers, enabling prompt and stable deliveries to key customers.

An S-Oil official stated: “In the bio-marine fuel market, not only product quality but also securing a stable supply of raw materials and an efficient supply system are important competitive advantages.

“Based on our existing bunkering business capabilities and the excellent supply infrastructure in the Onsan area, we plan to supply stable and competitive low-carbon fuel.”

Photo credit: S-Oil
Published: 23 July, 2026

Decarbonisation

Yang Ming and PSA to develop integrated sea-land decarbonisation solutions

Both will explore solutions spanning emissions measurement and verification, a digital Book-and-Claim framework, and a joint maritime-land inset token package.

Published

35 minutes ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

Yang Ming and PSA to develop integrated sea-land decarbonisation solutions

PSA International (PSA) on Monday (20 July) said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) to jointly accelerate the adoption of low-carbon solutions across the maritime value chain.

Beyond emissions measurement and verification, the collaboration will focus on a digital Book-and-Claim framework and a joint maritime-land based inset token package.

“This synergy provides cargo stakeholders with a transparent and accountable sea-land pathway to achieve their decarbonisation targets,” PSA said on its website.

Yang Ming launched the green transport service, EcoSea+. This initiative integrates Yang Ming’s low-carbon navigation capabilities to empower customers with a flexible and transparent strategy to effectively reduce their Scope 3 transportation emissions. By joining forces with PSA, Yang Ming is able to expand the impact of these sustainability actions beyond the ocean.

Building on its position as a global port operator, PSA advances its Node to Network strategy through integrated port and supply chain capabilities that enable a green network of terminal and landside operations to reduce end-to-end supply chain emissions.

The agreement was officially signed by Mr Ivan Chiang, Chief Logistics Officer & Senior Vice President of Yang Ming, and Mr Eddy Ng, Group Head of Operations, Technology and Sustainability of PSA International.

Mr Ong Kim Pong, PSA International Group CEO, said, “As responsible stewards of tomorrow, PSA is committed to delivering sustainable impact across the global port and supply chain ecosystem.

“Tackling the challenges arising from climate change will require the collective efforts of all players in the maritime supply chain sector. We are excited to partner Yang Ming on the decarbonisation of global supply chains and support the transition towards a more sustainable global economy.”

Photo credit: PSA International
Published: 23 July, 2026