The evolution of compliance work over the years
My first time in my career facing compliance issue happened in the first year of being a bunker trader. I remember I was asked to arrange a small 180cst delivery for a China state own company, we finish the supply smoothly and vessel sailed out. Few days later I got a call ” Do you know the vessel get arrested ? they carry missile on boards ! Why are you supplying that vessel ? “
The second time I have similar encounter is supplying vessel in Hong Kong south lamma anchorage . Since they like to appoint one agent with cheapest price , it was a one man operation who he was doing every paperwork for 30 vessels +, which result in ETA will never be updated since the agent got no time to contact all the suppliers. Instead of hoping agent will call us back after 20 miss calls, we decided to call the ship direct and get the ETA. We keep calling ships direct for the next few months until one day I had a call from Hong Kong MPA ” Do you know the vessel you supplied did not clear the custom and submit paperwork ?”. Dumbfounded and hot temper when I was in my early twenties, My reply is ” Its not a bunker trader legal obligation to check and perform any custom clearance , or are you suggesting I am morally wrong for not preforming such action ? ” After a pregnant pause the officer just reply ” do your job properly ” and hang up.
Nowadays being a supplier is difficult, you better check before fixing what is the last port of the vessel ? who is the owner of the vessel ? are the vessel related to any sanctioned countries ? What cargo they are carrying ?
What is your craziest compliance experience ?
Until next time
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