Contaminated Fuel Shipment Barred from Belize Market Ordered for Disposal

A shipment of nearly fifty-five thousand gallons of diesel fuel currently at the center of a customs investigation will not be entering Belize’s local market, as authorities have confirmed that the product will be discarded.  The fuel is aboard the vessel Humilde Viajero, which remains moored off Big Creek. On Friday, the vessel’s captain was remanded to prison after being charged with failing to provide advance cargo information and for being recklessly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of customs laws.  But beyond the legal proceedings, new details have emerged indicating that the fuel itself is unsuitable for use in Belize.  Correspondence from the Department of the Environment reveals that the shipment is classified as marine fuel and does not meet the specifications required under Belize’s national standards for diesel. As a result, officials say the product cannot be legally distributed or consumed locally.  Authorities further noted that the vessel entered Belizean waters without the necessary import license, and without completing the required procedures for vessel registration and customs processing.  In light of these violations, the Department of the Environment, in coordination with Customs, has determined that the fuel will be removed and transported to a designated location for final disposal.  This development comes after earlier indications that the government was exploring the possibility of confiscating and repurposing the fuel for local use.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “What we have said that we have seized that tanker and whosoever is responsible for that tanker will have to answer in a court of law and if necessary we’re going to seize the 50,000 gallons of diesel to put to use for, we’re going to sell it to Puma and maybe to be able to help us with the challenge that we’re facing.”

Reporter: What’s the challenge they’re facing to clear the tanker ? 

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Well from what it seems and I have to be careful because that will end p in court this tanker just showed up, there’s no documentation. I’m told even the captain said they didn’t know what they had there and no invoice no nothing and then all of a sudden some paper came up. So we’re doing a full investigation, we have the Attorney General’s ministry working with DOE, working with the Customs Department to ensure that if there was anything that was done unbecoming or anything that was done illegally that we’re going to deal with it to the full extent of the law.”

However, with the fuel now deemed non-compliant with national standards, that option is no longer on the table.  The case underscores the strict regulatory framework governing fuel imports into Belize, particularly as it relates to environmental standards and consumer safety. Meanwhile, authorities continue their investigations into the circumstances surrounding the vessel’s entry and the attempted importation.