Asia/Pacific News
Singapore: MPA Forces Southernpec Out
Singapore-based bunker supplier Southernpec can no longer operate as a bunker supplier in the southeast Asian port, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has said.
The firm, which was involved in a scam to interfere with the performance of mass flow meters, is now out of the picture entirely.
"During a recent enforcement check, MPA found that Southernpec had failed to ensure that its employees comply with the terms and conditions of their licence," the MPA statement said.
"Its employees engaged in bunker malpractices, which include the use of magnets to interfere with the mass flow meter during bunkering operations. Its cargo officers also did not record the information in the bunkering documents accurately, which breached the terms and conditions of its bunker supplier licence," it added.
Southernpec lost its bunker craft operator licence a month ago while its supplier's licence was suspended in April. The move follows an MPA investigation into possible breaches by the firm of its licence conditions.
Ship&Bunker broke the story when it published Petro Inspect's findings on the malpractice in March.
