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The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) today confirmed that it has revoked revoked the bunker craft operator licence of Seaquest Tanker Pte Ltd and the bunker supplier and bunker craft operator licences of Vermont UM Bunkering Pte Ltd, with effect from 26 and 27 April 2016 respectively.

As a result, the two companies are no longer allowed to operate as bunker suppliers and bunker craft operators in the port of Singapore.

In a statement, the MPA said: "As part of MPA's on-going regulatory efforts to ensure the safety, reliability and quality of bunker supplies in Singapore, checks were conducted on Seaquest Tanker Pte Ltd in 2015 and Vermont UM Bunkering Pte Ltd in 2016.

"MPA's separate investigations into the two companies revealed discrepancies and wrongful declarations in the records kept on board their bunker tankers. There were also separate incidences of transfers of bunkers between bunker tankers that were conducted without MPA's approval. As such, MPA has revoked the companies' licences as they had breached the terms and conditions of their bunker supplier and bunker craft operator licences."

Supplier ranking and accredited bunker suppliers

The cancellation of the bunker supplier licence of Vermont UM Bunkering reduces the number of MPA-accredited bunker suppliers in Singapore to 59.

In the MPA's ranking of suppliers by volume in 2015, Vermont UM Bunkering was ranked 18th in a list of 59 suppliers in Singapore, up two places from 20th in 2014.

Reminder to suppliers

In a reminder to other bunker companies operating in Singapore, the MPA said: "MPA reminds all licensed bunker suppliers and bunker craft operators to adhere strictly to the terms and conditions of their bunker licences. MPA will take firm action against any licensee who has acted in contravention of their licences, including suspending or revoking their bunker licences, as appropriate."