Today's Bunker Industry Players Lack Knowledge, Values: Muhtaroglu

Mustafa Muhtaroglu, Chief Executive of Energy Petrol

Many of today's bunker players lack the in-depth knowledge and ethical values that, in the past, were a fundamental part of the industry, Mustafa Muhtaroglu, Chief Executive of Energy Petrol has told Ship & Bunker.

Muhtaroglu, who began his career in the bunker industry in 1987, says bunker suppliers all used to have rich maritime backgrounds, with considerable knowledge and experience of the operational, technical, commercial, and legal aspects of the shipping industry.

"Before, bunker suppliers were all former captains, chief engineers, shipping related people that had a deep understanding of how the industry worked," said Muhtaroglu.

"Now with many of the new people who have come into bunkering it is more like telephone marketing. Many of the new people involved do not have any shipping, engineering, or oil experience at all because they have come into bunkering from completely unrelated fields. They have never even been on a ship or barge. I think this is wrong and very damaging to our industry."

As a result of this situation, Muhtaroglu says the industry has become focused only on sales - how much is being bought and sold - and are ignoring important factors such as quality, timely supplies, operational differences, and perhaps most importantly, whether people can pay.

"I would like to see the industry to come together to restore our credibility, to be an industry of knowledgeable experts, and restore the good business values and credibility we had before," said Muhtaroglu.

"I want the bunker industry to attract new, well qualified, well educated people, and to once again become a highly respected sector."