Fuel delivery for marinas and fuel docks
A marina fuel dock sells what the truck brings. Planning delivery to the dock tanks means knowing your products, your truck access, and your spill plan before the season starts.
Know what the dock sells
Most fuel docks sell gasoline for outboards and smaller boats, and many also sell diesel for larger inboard boats, commercial boats, and yard equipment. List each product and its tank size in the request.
Many boaters ask for ethanol-free gasoline. It is not stocked everywhere, and not every distributor delivers it. If you want to sell it, ask the distributor directly whether they can supply it at your location.
The EPA does not allow E15 gasoline to be used in boats. Its pump label says not to use it in boats. If you sell gasoline at the dock, confirm with the distributor what ethanol content you are getting.
Truck access to the tanks
Many marina tanks sit up on land with piping run out to the dock, and some sit right at the water. Tell the distributor where the fill point is, where a truck can park, and how much hose the driver will need.
Narrow lots, boat trailers, and summer weekend crowds can block a fuel truck. Pick a delivery window when the lot is quiet, and put the site contact and any gate or code in the quote notes.
Spill prep at the water
The EPA says an oil discharge that causes a sheen on the water or the shoreline must be reported to the National Response Center, which the Coast Guard runs. Keep that number posted at the dock and the tank.
Keep a spill kit and absorbent boom where the driver fills the tank, and have someone on site during each drop. A clear fill point, a working overfill alarm, and a sound tank prevent most problems at the dock.
The EPA SPCC rule can apply to a facility with more than 1,320 gallons of above-ground oil storage that could reach the water. Many marinas are right on it, so check the EPA rule and your plan before the season.
Plan around the boating season
Fuel sales swing hard with the season. Tell the distributor your busy months and holiday weekends so the drop schedule fits the peak, and order ahead of the big weekends rather than the day before.
Fuel that sits all winter can collect water. Ethanol blends can pull in water, and enough of it can make the fuel separate in the tank. Check tanks for water before the season and match orders to what you sell.
Questions
Can one distributor deliver gasoline and diesel to a marina?
Some trucks carry more than one product in separate compartments, and some do not. List each product and the gallons you need in the request and ask whether they can come on the same trip.
Can a marina sell dyed diesel at the dock?
Dyed diesel is for off-road, nontaxable uses only. Whether a given boat or use qualifies is a tax question, so check with the IRS and your state tax agency before you stock it at a fuel dock.
Does Bulk Fueling list marine fuel prices?
No. Bulk Fueling is a free directory and does not publish fuel prices. Search the marina ZIP, check which distributors list gasoline and diesel, and request quotes from the ones that fit.