The Northern Emirates are suffering from a diesel shortage because of heavy demand and disruption of deliveries to Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) outlets. The company says the supply problems are caused by a lack of tankers – but transport industry sources say a lack of drivers for the vehicles is to blame.

A sales agent at Adnoc, who identified himself only as Humaid, said: "We have a shortage of diesel and one reason is that there are not enough tankers to carry the fuel from Abu Dhabi to Sharjah, Ajman and other parts of the Northern Emirates. But the shortfall is only a temporary problem."

The Public Relations Department of Adnoc Distribution failed to return calls for a comment made by Emirates Business.

Oil retailers in Dubai charge much more for diesel than Adnoc, which subsidises the fuel. This has pushed up sales at the company's outlets and contributed to the shortage.

Moideen, a staff member at an Adnoc petrol station in Ajman, said: "We don't have diesel today because there is a huge demand and our tankers are not arriving regularly with deliveries. This has been a problem for several days. There is a huge queue in our petrol station at night and by morning the diesel stock has gone, and we have to wait for the next tanker."

The situation is the same at other Adnoc outlets in Sharjah and elsewhere, and many heavy vehicle drivers from the Northern Emirates travel all the way to Al Ain and Abu Dhabi to buy fuel.

One heavy vehicle operator said: "Diesel costs almost double in Dubai and we don't have any option but to buy from Adnoc stations. The best way to buy diesel now is to bribe staff to provide sufficient supplies.

"There is a rationing system and a heavy vehicle driver can get only diesel worth Dh400 per day. We pay Dh100 or more to the petrol station staff and buy enough diesel. Even after spending around Dh100 or Dh150 extra it is worth buying diesel from Adnoc."

Logistics companies and shippers of fuel, on the other hand, blame the shortage, not on a scarcity of tankers or diesel, but on the lack of tanker drivers to enable proper distribution.

The problem, they say, is caused by tankers lying idle for lack of drivers.

"I have advertised for drivers continously for three to four days in an English daily newspaper. I got responses from three people who don't have valid UAE driving licences. They have heavy vehicle licence from Oman and Saudi Arabia, which is not accepted here. The salary demanded by some drivers with a valid UAE driving licence is Dh3,500 or more, which we cannot afford to pay. Drivers go to companies that pay good salary," said Jose George from Al Safeer Shipping Company, which is looking for drivers.

Many say the shortage of drivers follows changes introduced by Dubai's Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) to improve road safety, making driving tests harder to get a heavy vehicle licence.