Singapore’s Port Authority Revokes AC Oil Bunker License

Shipping vessels and oil tankers line up on the eastern coast of Singapore in this July 22, 2015. REUTERS/Edgar Su/Files

SINGAPORE, Aug 1 (Reuters) – The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) revoked the bunker fuel supplier and bunker craft operator licences of AC Oil Pte Ltd, after investigations showed discrepancies and wrongful declarations in the records kept on board its tankers.

There were also separate incidences of bunker fuel transfers between bunker tankers that were conducted without approval, the MPA said in a statement on Monday. It conducted checks on AC Oil in May and June 2016.

“In addition, despite being licensed to carry only marine gas oil, the bunker tankers operated by AC Oil were found to have carried Class B petroleum, a more easily flammable grade as compared to marine gas oil,” said the MPA.

AC Oil’s revocation was effective from July 29, the statement said.

The MPA has revoked three bunker licences this year, cutting the number of suppliers to 57 from 59 over the past three months.

Nevertheless, the departure of AC Oil from Singapore’s pool of bunkers suppliers is not expected to have a material effect on the world’s largest bunkering port, said two traders that participate in the market.

As of Jan. 31, AC Oil was ranked in the top 41 to 59 bunker suppliers in Singapore in terms of sales volumes, according to MPA data.

AC Oil declined to answer requests for comment.

In April, the port authority revoked the sales and operation licenses of Vermont UM Bunkering, as well as the bunker craft operator license of Seaquest Tanker, after similar instances of erroneous record keeping was found on their on their tankers.

(Reporting By Aradhana Aravindan and Roslan Khasawneh; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016.

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