UAE Bans OceanEXL for Violating Bunker Trading Regulations

On September 13, the UAE Maritime Administration imposed a ban on bunker supplier OceanEXL FZC, prohibiting the company from trading and supplying fuel to ships within the UAE. The ban was enforced after multiple violations of both federal laws and international maritime conventions came to light.

The decision to prohibit the supplier, along with its delivery vessel, stemmed from an incident involving the Palau-flagged ship DSG. This vessel delivered 700 metric tons of High Sulfur Fuel Oil (HSFO) instead of the required Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) to a ship that was not equipped with a scrubber.

OceanEXL falsely claimed that the oil transfer was a ship-to-ship operation rather than a bunker transaction. The company's senior management even submitted a formal letter to the UAE Maritime Administration, asserting that they had not issued a Bunker Delivery Note (BDN).

However, during the investigation, the receiving vessel produced the BDN, which had been supplied by OceanEXL. The document contradicted OceanEXL's claims and falsely indicated that VLSFO had been transferred, when in fact, the oil was HSFO.

Adhering to its zero-tolerance policy for such breaches, the UAE has now banned both OceanEXL and the vessel involved from conducting any further operations within its waters.