Norwegian oil company Haltbakk Bunkers cuts fuel supply to US military citing ethical concerns
Norwegian oil company Haltbakk Bunkers has announced it will cease fuel supplies to the US military, according to Kystens Næringsliv. The decision comes on the heels of a contentious verbal sparring involving US President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "As you can imagine, not a single liter will be supplied until Trump is gone," stated Haltbakk Bunkers owner Gunnar Gran.
Speaking with Kystens Næringsliv, Gran revealed that his company has long severed ties with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. "This gave our competitors a chance to earn extra income. We suffered significant losses, but we have moral principles. Now the US is excluded from our clients due to their conduct towards Ukrainians," Gran elaborated.
Haltbakk Bunkers announced its decision to cease cooperation with the US armed forces on its Facebook page. "We witnessed the most significant spat ever broadcast live by a sitting US president and vice president. Ukrainian President deserves great respect for maintaining calm and composure despite being betrayed by the US on live air. It disgusted us, plain and simple. As a result, we decided to immediately halt fuel supplies to US military ships docking in Norwegian ports," the company stated on Facebook.
In response, Norways's Defense Minister Tore Sandvik released an official statement affirming that Norway will continue to provide services to the US.
"We have seen reports expressing concern over the support for US Navy ships in Norway. This does not align with the Norwegian government's policy. I can confirm that all requested support has been provided. The US and Norway maintain close and strong defense cooperation. US forces will continue receiving necessary supplies and support from Norway," the statement, released on Sunday, March 2, read.
Haltbakk Bunkers AS is a private Norwegian oil and shipping company and not among the largest in Norway. Key players in the Norwegian oil and gas sector include Equinor ASA, Aker BP ASA, TotalEnergies SE, Shell PLC, and ExxonMobil Corporation.