Business

TotalEnergies and MOL names France’s first LNG bunkering vessel “Gas Vitality”

“Gas Vitality” will enter operational service in December 2021 and be based in the Port of Marseille-Fos, Southern France, to serve the Mediterranean region.

Published

5 years ago

October 27, 2021

Admin

TotalEnergies and Mitsui O.S.K.Lines (MOL) on Tuesday (26 October) said they have officially named France’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) Gas Vitality at a ceremony held at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding,China.

The 18,600-m³ newbuild bunker vessel is TotalEnergies Marine Fuels’ second collaboration with shipowner Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd (MOL) and shipbuilder, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding following the signing of a long-term charter contract in November 2019.

All three parties first collaborated in 2018 to successfully design and build her sistership, the Gas Agility, which has been operating in the Port of Rotterdam since November 2020.

Classed by Bureau Veritas and operated by V.Ships France under the French flag, the Gas Vitality will enter operational service in December 2021 and be based in the Port of Marseille-Fos, Southern France, to serve the Mediterranean region.

She will notably perform LNG bunkering services to CMA CGM’s LNG-fueled containerships and MSC Cruises’ upcoming LNG-powered cruise ships that call at the French port.

“We are delighted to officially name our second chartered LNG bunker vessel. The ‘Gas Vitality’ is a testament of our commitment to provide our shipping customers with another major European hub to help meet their LNG bunkering needs,” says Jérôme Leprince-Ringuet, Vice-President Marine Fuels at TotalEnergies.

“With the accelerated pace of transition to marine LNG we are witnessing among ship owners, it shows the shipping industry’s readiness to act today to curb their current greenhouse gas emissions, whilst paving the way for future, alternative fuel solutions such as bioLNG and other cryogenic fuels,” he adds.

“We will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the value chain to expand the range of solutions that will help to decarbonize shipping.”

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all partners who have been involved in the planning, building and successful completion of the “Gas Vitality”. “Gas Vitality” is a significant milestone in our long-term partnership with TotalEnergies throughout the LNG supply chain and our commitment towards a decarbonised world,” comments Kenta Matsuzaka, Senior Managing Executive Officer at MOL.

“I am confident that our commitment to deliver LNG as a marine fuel, will accelerate the transition to LNG fuel as a competitive, environmentally efficient and immediately available solution for the maritime industry.”

Key Features of the Gas Vitality

The Gas Vitality is a 135 meters long GTT Mark III membrane vessel. She incorporates a range of features that enables her to meet the highest technical and environmental standards, including:

Increased loading and bunkering rate by 25%, to a maximum of 2000m3 /hr, through upgraded cargo pumps and high duty compressors.
New pressure reduction system to optimize bunkering operations of ‘Type C’ tank vessels under all conditions.
Azimuth propellers and two bow thrusters, delivering an extremely high degree of maneuverability enabling tug-free operations in port and further reducing the environmental impact of her operations.
Two manifolds for enhanced ship-to-ship bunkering flexibility across vessel types and sizes.
Equipped to offer Electronic Bunker Delivery Notes (e-BDN) to her customers.
Onboard re-liquefaction of the boil-off gas is further used for propulsion and for the vessel’s own power generation.

Gas Vitality Naming Ceremony2

Photo credit: TotalEnergies
Published: 27 October, 2021

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

15 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

15 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

15 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