The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) announced on Sep 4 that it made a halt of bunker supplier license and bunker craft operator license to Sentek Marine & Trading Pte Ltd (Sentek) on Sep 17. The company would be no longer able to operate bunkering business within Singapore on Sep 18 onward.

Although the MPA did not give a specific reason for Sentek's license suspension, it reminded existing bunker license holders of abiding all terms and conditions of their fuel supply licenses.

Market players mentioned that the company's barges were expected to keep operating until Sep 7. Traders would likely switch to different suppliers from Sentek afterward. In the current market, no troubles regarding the switching were reported to date.

Sentek had been accused of receiving fraudulent orders for bunker fuel oil (MGO) from Shell's refinery on Pulau Bukom Island on multiple times between 2014 and 2018.