Marine Fuel/Bunker Trading Consultant

Senior Marine Fuel Trading – Consultant
Contract Type: Initial 90-day consultancy to potential perm 

Imperium Commodity Search is confidentially retained by an established UAE-based fuel trading business as it assesses and develops its entry into the UK marine fuel and bunkering market. Our client is seeking an experienced UK marine fuel professional to lead an initial 90-day market-entry project, combining market intelligence with genuine commercial development and existing industry relationships.

This is not a conventional advisory assignment or a market research exercise.

The successful individual will be expected to bring practical knowledge of how the UK bunker market operates, established relationships across physical suppliers and marine customers, and the commercial credibility to help move the business from market assessment into genuine trading activity.

The initial mandate will focus on establishing whether a scalable UK marine fuel operation can be developed and defining the most appropriate route to market.

The project will include:

• Mapping the UK marine fuel and bunkering landscape, including key ports, suppliers, wholesalers and routes to market.
• Identifying and engaging relevant shipowners, vessel operators, bunker buyers and other marine fuel customers.
• Establishing relationships with UK physical fuel suppliers, distributors and wholesalers.
• Advising on MGO, gasoil and wider marine fuel pricing structures, premiums, logistics and achievable trading margins.
• Providing practical insight into supplier credit, customer payment terms, counterparty risk and working-capital requirements.
• Generating genuine customer enquiries and RFQs where commercially appropriate.
• Assessing the most attractive ports, customer segments and product areas for initial market entry.
• Supporting the development of supplier and customer onboarding processes.
• Working directly with ownership to determine the commercial structure required for a sustainable UK operation.

Who we would like to speak with:

The successful individual is likely to have spent a significant part of their career within UK marine fuels, bunker trading, physical supply or marine fuel procurement.

We would particularly like to speak with professionals who have:

• Strong existing relationships across UK shipowners, vessel operators, bunker buyers and physical suppliers.
• Significant experience within marine fuel or bunker trading, physical supply or procurement.
• A strong understanding of the commercial dynamics of the UK bunker market.
• Practical knowledge of fuel pricing, physical logistics, supplier premiums, credit and counterparty risk.
• The ability to operate independently and provide commercially objective advice.
• Experience developing new customer or supplier relationships rather than operating solely within an established book.
• The credibility to represent a new entrant to the UK market with established industry counterparties.

The engagement

This opportunity may be particularly relevant to an experienced bunker professional who has recently stepped away from a major trading or supply business, is already operating independently, or is interested in applying significant market experience to a defined commercial project.

The assignment is expected to run initially for 90 days. Should the business case for a permanent UK operation be successfully established, there may also be an opportunity for the successful individual, or another senior market professional, to play a longer-term role in developing the UK marine fuel business.

Imperium Commodity Search operates exclusively on a retained search basis. All conversations regarding this mandate will be handled in strict confidence and with particular sensitivity to the close-knit nature of the marine fuel and bunkering market.

To discuss this opportunity further, please contact Mark Taylor at mark.taylor@imperiumcs.com or apply below