Day: July 14, 2023

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Banle Energy Launches Its First Biofuel Bunkering Operation in Hong Kong

CBL International Limited (Incorporated in Cayman Islands with limited liabilities)

Banle Energy launches its first biofuel bunkering operation in Hong Kong.

Banle Energy launches its first biofuel bunkering operation in Hong Kong.

HONG KONG, July 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On July 14, 2023, Banle Energy International Limited, a subsidiary of CBL International Limited (NASDAQ: BANL) (the “Company”), partnering with ASB Biodiesel (Hong Kong) Limited and Seven Seas Oil (Hong Kong) Limited completed our very first B24 biofuel bunkering operation in Hong Kong, with Saybolt as an international independent inspection and testing service provider to monitor the whole process in order to ensure both quality and quantity.

Our Company has taken the initiative to support our efforts towards the 2023 IMO Greenhouse Gas Strategy (the “Strategy”), which was adopted at the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80) in early July. The Strategy sets ambitious targets for the shipping industry to reduce the total annual greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions from international shipping by at least 20% and 70%, with a goal of achieving 30% and 80% by 2030 and 2040 respectively, compared to 2008 levels. In line with our direction focusing on ESG, we are committed to promote Biofuel, an ESG related product, in an effort to reduce GHG emissions.

Biofuels are being promoted as one of the low-carbon alternatives to the existing fossil oils as they could help to reduce GHG emissions and the related climate change impact from the shipping industry.

Biofuel delivered to a tanker at terminal.

Biofuel delivered to a tanker at terminal.

A proactive culture is part of our DNA, even back in 2019, our Company was one of the first movers in promoting and supplying very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) to our clients, ahead of the “IMO 2020” regulation that was implemented in 2020. Today, we again have taken the initiative in introducing B24 biofuel bunkering in Hong Kong.

Teck Lim Chia, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, said: “B24 biofuel bunkering operation in Hong Kong is a significant step forward for our contribution of environmental sustainability and for the shipping industry’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. This sets the stage for the Hong Kong bunkering industry to use biofuels as a means to play its part for decarbonization.”

Photo Caption
Biofuel delivered to a tanker at terminal.

Banle Energy launches its first biofuel bunkering operation in Hong Kong.

B24 biofuel delivered to a tanker at terminal.

About CBL International Limited

Established in 2015, CBL International Limited (NASDAQ: BANL) is the listing vehicle of Banle Group, an established marine fuel logistic company in Asia Pacific providing customers with one stop solution for vessel refuelling. The main market of Banle Group is the Asia Pacific market with business activities taking place in the major ports of Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and other countries like Turkey, Belgium.

Forward-Looking Information and Statements

Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs, including the expectation that the offering will be successfully completed. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “could,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “project” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the SEC.

For more information, please contact:

CBL International Limited

Email: investors@banle-intl.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/01924ef2-3eaa-4829-8884-1c93c6cb7a61

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0fb82a66-7d7f-4c61-abe8-91620c07c893

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8874568

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Vytelle Expands to Brisbane, Australia with Sixteenth Global Bovine In Vitro Fertilisation Laboratory

BRISBANE, Australia,, July 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vytelle, a precision livestock company, is progressing on their five-year plan to provide accessible, hormone-free, bovine in vitro fertilisation to producers across the globe. Announced today, Vytelle has expanded to Brisbane, Australia with its sixteenth global laboratory.

Vytelle’s integrated technology platform combines Vytelle ADVANCE, a breakthrough in vitro fertilisation (IVF) technology, with Vytelle SENSE, an animal performance data capture system, and Vytelle INSIGHT, an artificial intelligence based genetic analytics engine.  The platform provides progressive cattle producers the technology to make reliable data-driven mating decisions that improve the predictability of genetic progress, replicating the right genetics faster.

The Brisbane-based, Australia laboratory brings accessibility to modern reproduction technology like never before to Australia’s eastern states’ beef herds. Vytelle’s hormone-free in vitro fertilisation process, including their proprietary media, will deliver high-quality embryos to producers allowing them to make more valuable calves, faster to maximise sustainability.

“Vytelle is the fastest growing bovine IVF company in the world,” commented Kerryann Kocher, CEO of Vytelle. She continued, “We are thrilled to open our doors in Brisbane, positioning Vytelle to serve 70% of the total beef herd in Australia from this location.”

 Vytelle has a long history in Australia through its Vytelle SENSE phenotypic data capture technology to measure and select for feed efficiency. With this investment, Vytelle is positioned to help Australian producers improve efficiencies and make faster genetic progress across the supply chain to consistently market more efficient and sustainable beef. “The large-scale adoption of IVF will be driven by the successful use of frozen embryos,” stated Andrew Donoghue, Regional Manager for Australia and New Zealand. He continued, “Unlike other technologies, the Vytelle system allows us to deliver frozen results producers can count on, providing reliable IVF to herds historically underserved with fresh programs.”

The Australian-based team is serving beef and dairy producers with on-farm ovum pick-ups immediately. Visit www.vytelle.com or contact Andrew Donoghue at andrew.donoghue@vytelle.com or +61 428 442 1555 to accelerate your herd’s genetic progress today.

Attachment

Andrew Donoghue
Vytelle
+61 428 442 1555
andrew.donoghue@vytelle.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8874359

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Response to World Health Organization Reviews of Aspartame

BRUSSELS, Belgium, July 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In response to two World Health Organization (WHO) evaluations of aspartame, one of the most thoroughly researched ingredients in the world, released today, the International Sweeteners Association (ISA) applauds the WHO’s reaffirmation of aspartame’s safety by its leading scientific body responsible for evaluating the safety of food additives, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). These conclusions are consistent with the findings of over 90 global food safety agencies who have confirmed aspartame’s safety, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), that has reviewed aspartame twice, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“JECFA has once again reaffirmed aspartame’s safety after conducting a thorough, comprehensive and scientifically rigorous review” said ISA Secretary General Frances Hunt-Wood. “Aspartame, like all low/no calorie sweeteners, when used as part of a balanced diet, provides consumers with choice to reduce sugar intake, a critical public health objective.”

As part of its comprehensive assessment, reconfirming the safety of aspartame, JECFA examined IARC’s conclusions and found no concern for human health. Importantly, IARC is not a food safety body and its 2B classification does not consider intake levels nor actual risk, making an IARC review far less comprehensive than the thorough reviews conducted by food safety bodies like JECFA and potentially confusing for consumers.

To put this in context, IARC’s 2B classification puts aspartame in the same category as kimchi and other pickled vegetables. IARC would be the first to say that they don’t suggest people should stop using kimchi at meals.

As part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle, aspartame can be used to further public health objectives on sugar intake reduction and ultimately assist in weight and diabetes management, as well as with dental health.

For media enquiries, please contact the ISA PR agency:
media@sweeteners.org – Phone (24/7): +1 (833) 318-2430
www.sweeteners.org/news

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8874383

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90% of 6.8M target population in C.Visayas apply for PhilSys ID

About 90 percent of the 6.8 million target population in Central Visayas have already registered for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys), the regional official of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Friday. Engineer Ariel Florendo, PSA-7 regional director, said that while they have almost covered the 6.8 million individuals in the region for the PhilSys ID, the agency continues conducting on-site and off-site registration. The on-site registration is still ongoing at the regional office on Colon Street while registration desks in malls continue to do outright processing of the ID, he said. PSA-7 personnel also conduct mobile registrations in the barangays, especially for the geographically-challenged areas in Central Visayas where residents could hardly travel to the Poblacion for processing. Registration for the PhilSys ID only allows those individuals aged 5 and above. ‘For the 4 years old and below, we are not yet (registering them) because of a change in their (physical) profile,’ Florendo said. ‘I urge everyone to register. There’s nothing to lose if you apply for the PhilSys ID. Instead, you will have a lot of benefits. For example, if you come to our office to get your PSA-certified records of birth, you don’t need to apply online if you have your national ID,’ he said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

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US again touts importance of Myanmar peace plan despite divisions within ASEAN

Washington on Friday again urged countries to push Myanmar on a peace plan that has failed so far, although the regional bloc is divided over how to handle the Burmese crisis.

Countries must persuade the Burmese military to follow through on the five-point plan, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said as he met with his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other countries in Jakarta on Friday.

“In Myanmar, we must press the military regime to stop the violence, to implement ASEAN’s five-point consensus, to support a return to democratic governance,” Blinken said in a speech during a meeting with ASEAN ministers.

The bloc, of which Myanmar is a member, has sought to mediate a resolution to the situation in that country, where the military toppled an elected government in February 2021 and threw civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in prison. Nearly 3,800 people have been killed in post-coup violence, mostly by junta security forces.

On Thursday, ASEAN issued a joint statement of its foreign ministers, but that was delayed by a day following a meeting of the region’s top diplomats Tuesday and Wednesday. Reports said the delay arose because they could not agree on what their joint statement would say about Myanmar.

The statement reflected the dissonance.

Thailand had last month held another meeting with Myanmar’s junta-appointed foreign minister, representatives of ASEAN members Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and India and China. The Burmese and Thai militaries are said to be close, and the outgoing Thai PM is a former army chief.

ASEAN 2023 chair Indonesia did not take kindly to that meeting, which it skipped along with Singapore and Malaysia.

And yet, the joint statement acknowledged that meeting, noting that “a number of ASEAN member states” viewed it “as a positive development.”

The statement went on to note, however, that efforts to solve the Myanmar crisis must support the five-point consensus and efforts by ASEAN chair Indonesia.

Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai defended the meeting, saying it was in line with an earlier ASEAN document that called for exploring other approaches for resolving the crisis.

In another shocker for the rest of ASEAN, and indeed, everyone else, the Thai foreign minister announced on Wednesday that he had met secretly over the weekend with Myanmar’s imprisoned civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The Thai foreign ministry said that she and the junta had approved the meeting with Don.

And not everyone is on board with the five-point consensus either, although they present a unified front, reports say.

The previous foreign minister of Malaysia, Saifuddin Abdullah, was an exception. He had said last July that it was time to junk the peace plan and devise a new one on a deadline that included enforcement mechanisms.

ASEAN operates by consensus, which means any action it takes has to be approved by every member state. Divisions within the bloc have meant that not every member has approved of tougher action against Myanmar.

Therefore, other than shutting out the Burmese junta from all high-level ASEAN meetings for reneging on the consensus, little else has happened since February 2021.

Hunter Marston, a Southeast Asia researcher at the Australian National University, said the ASEAN top diplomats’ joint statement was largely in line with his expectations.

He would have liked to see “ASEAN invite the NUG as a way of imposing costs on the junta, but that won’t receive consensus,” Marston told BenarNews, referring to the National Unity Government, which is the shadow civilian administration.

He would have also liked to see “see a clearer acknowledgement of ASEAN’s frustration with the military junta.”

And the statement “still left room for Thailand’s rogue … diplomacy,” Marston said.

Another analyst, Muhammad Waffaa Kharisma, from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta, said he had expected a little better from the joint statement.

“[N]ow I only hope that ASEAN does not accept back the junta without accountability,” he told BenarNews.

Source: Radio Free Asia

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Indonesia calls for efforts to maintain Indo-Pacific region’s stability

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has underlined that Indo-Pacific needs to stay a peaceful region, as it is home to 60% of the world’s population and the biggest contributor to the global economy over the next three decades.

The Indo-Pacific needs to stay peaceful and stable and not be another battleground of powerful countries looking to influence the region, the Indonesian minister was quoted by local media as saying at the 13th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Jakarta on July 14.

The Indo-Pacific is at a critical juncture, she stated, stressing that the EAS forum will contribute to a safe, stable, and inclusive Indo-Pacific that also encourages collaboration with other regions.

Imagine the EAS as a train, and the commitment to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) and Bali Principles as railroads, she said, adding that the EAS members must ensure that their roads cross, not hinder each other.

She said that all parties must work together to bridge, instill trust and build an inclusive regional architecture. The existing differences should not be separators, but instead enrich collective efforts and become strengths, she added.

The minister held that despite differences, the EAS can create harmony and build a common agenda.

The EAS is a regional forum that involves 18 EAS countries, which are 10 ASEAN members – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, plus Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia, and the United States./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency