IBIA applauds Danish authorities' clampdown on bunker fraud
A DANISH court sentenced an executive of a bunker company to three-and-a-half years in jail and ordered the company to pay a DKK10 million (US$1.5 million) fine for having defrauded a Malaysian company over nearly three years.
The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) welcomed the fact that Danish authorities had investigated and sought to bring to justice alleged fraudulent activities perpetrated by a bunkering company in the country.
The defendants have two weeks to appeal the verdict, the American Journal of Transportation reported.
Danish criminal investigators decided to bring the case to court despite the Malaysian company having withdrawn its original charges. An announcement from the Danish court in connection with the verdict states that the defrauded company received partial compensation from the Danish bunkering company.
"IBIA is encouraged by the fact that reports of these sorts of incidents are being investigated and, where necessary, relevant action is being taken by the courts," said IBIA chief executive Peter Hall.
"However, IBIA is deeply concerned that the guilty verdict, together with other recent reports of bad practices, places the bunker industry in a poor light. I'd like to stress that the vast majority of bunkering transactions are carried out to the satisfaction of all parties in an ethical manner.
"Nevertheless, IBIA condemns any fraudulent industry practices without reservation and is working hard to promote best practice guidelines across the industry," he said.
IBIA board member Henrik Zederkof of A/S Dan-Bunkering is also hopeful that the court case is a signal that criminal behaviour will not be tolerated, adding that the many serious and professionally run companies in the sector should not be tainted by the same brush.
A DANISH court sentenced an executive of a bunker company to three-and-a-half years in jail and ordered the company to pay a DKK10 million (US$1.5 million) fine for having defrauded a Malaysian company over nearly three years.
The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) welcomed the fact that Danish authorities had investigated and sought to bring to justice alleged fraudulent activities perpetrated by a bunkering company in the country.
The defendants have two weeks to appeal the verdict, the American Journal of Transportation reported.
Danish criminal investigators decided to bring the case to court despite the Malaysian company having withdrawn its original charges. An announcement from the Danish court in connection with the verdict states that the defrauded company received partial compensation from the Danish bunkering company.
"IBIA is encouraged by the fact that reports of these sorts of incidents are being investigated and, where necessary, relevant action is being taken by the courts," said IBIA chief executive Peter Hall.
"However, IBIA is deeply concerned that the guilty verdict, together with other recent reports of bad practices, places the bunker industry in a poor light. I'd like to stress that the vast majority of bunkering transactions are carried out to the satisfaction of all parties in an ethical manner.
"Nevertheless, IBIA condemns any fraudulent industry practices without reservation and is working hard to promote best practice guidelines across the industry," he said.
IBIA board member Henrik Zederkof of A/S Dan-Bunkering is also hopeful that the court case is a signal that criminal behaviour will not be tolerated, adding that the many serious and professionally run companies in the sector should not be tainted by the same brush.