The UAE Federal Maritime Administration (FMA) has imposed a ban on OCEANEXL FZC, a Dubai-based bunker supplier, from operating within UAE waters and ports due to serious breaches of maritime regulations.
An investigation revealed that the company engaged in unlawful bunkering practices, including supplying high-sulphur fuel without necessary exhaust gas cleaning systems, posing environmental risks.
The FMA found that OCEANEXL FZC had supplied 700 tons of high-sulphur fuel from a chartered vessel without scrubbers, emitting harmful sulfur oxides into the atmosphere.
The company had also misled the FMA by concealing the actual fuel type and operating without a required navigation licence.
The ban follows strict measures implemented by the FMA to ensure compliance with international regulations.
The agency has a “zero-tolerance policy” towards companies involved in manipulating bunkering operations, and has also banned the Palau-flagged oil product tanker, DSG, chartered by OCEANEXL FZC, from operating in UAE waters and ports.
This incident highlights the UAE’s commitment to environmental protection and maritime safety, and follows a previous ban on Cameroon-flagged ships from calling
UAE waters and ports in January 2024.
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