The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has cancelled the bunker supplier and bunker craft operator licences of Northwest Resources Pte. Ltd., with effect from September 1, 2014, MPA disclosed in a press release.
The release states that MPA’s investigations on Northwest Resources Pte. Ltd., disclosed breaches by Northwest Resources of the terms and conditions of their bunker supplier and bunker craft operator licences. MPA has therefore decided to cancel both their licences.
MPA’s cancellation of Northwest Resources’ bunker licences follows the conviction of one of the company’s Directors for bunkering-related corruption offences.
Leong Kok Kheong, a Director of Northwest Resources, was charged with 50 counts of bunkering-related offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The offences were committed in May and June 2008. Leong was convicted on April 29, 2014, after he pleaded guilty to 15 charges. The rest of the charges were taken into consideration.
He was sentenced to a total of 21 weeks imprisonment and fined a total of SGD 375,000 (USD 299,000).
With the cancellation of both their bunker licences, Northwest Resources will no longer be allowed to operate as bunker supplier and bunker craft operator in the Port of Singapore.