Dyed diesel for non-road use — construction machinery, agricultural equipment, industrial generators, marine auxiliary engines, and heating. Same reliable diesel performance, marked for off-road duty.
Red diesel — also known as gas oil, marked diesel, or dyed diesel — is chemically similar to standard road diesel but contains a red dye that identifies it as fuel on which road tax has not been paid. It is legally restricted to off-road use: construction equipment, agricultural machinery, stationary generators, industrial heating, and marine auxiliary engines.
The dye serves a regulatory purpose, not a performance one. Red diesel performs identically to its un-dyed equivalent in terms of power output, fuel consumption, and engine compatibility. The price difference is purely fiscal — red diesel is typically 5–15% less expensive because it does not carry road fuel duty.
Using red diesel in a vehicle that operates on public roads is ILLEGAL in the UAE. Authorities can detect the red dye in your fuel tank for weeks after use. Penalties include heavy fines, vehicle impoundment, and potential criminal charges. Hibernia Diesel supplies red diesel exclusively for legitimate off-road use and maintains full delivery records for regulatory compliance.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Red (dyed with chemical marker — visibly and unmistakably red) |
| Sulfur Content | 10–500 ppm (grade-dependent — specify when ordering) |
| Cetane Number | ≥ 45–51 (grade-dependent) |
| Density at 15°C | 820–860 kg/m³ |
| Distillation Range | 180–360°C |
| Flash Point | ≥ 55°C (typical 60–70°C) |
| Kinematic Viscosity at 40°C | 2.0–4.5 mm²/s |
| Water Content | ≤ 200 mg/kg |
| Carbon Residue | ≤ 0.30% m/m (on 10% residue) |
| Relevant Standards | UAE.S 477, BS 2869 Class A2, ASTM D975 Grade No. 2-D |
* Contact our sales team to specify your required sulfur level. We can supply 10 ppm red diesel for modern off-road equipment with DPF systems — specify when ordering.
Excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, mobile cranes (on-site), concrete pumps, asphalt pavers, rock crushers, screening plants, site generators and lighting towers.
Tractors, combine harvesters, forage harvesters, sprayers, irrigation pumps, grain dryers, crop processing equipment, and farm generators.
Stationary generators, boilers, furnaces, forklifts (exclusively on private premises), industrial cleaning equipment, and process heating.
Auxiliary generators on vessels, boilers and heating systems, harbor service craft (check local regulations). Propulsion engines should use Marine Gas Oil (MGO).
Hotel and commercial building boilers, district heating systems, laundry equipment heated by diesel boilers. NOT for heating systems in road vehicles.
Any vehicle operating on public roads. Vehicles that occasionally travel on public roads. Marine propulsion engines (use MGO instead).
| Characteristic | Red Diesel (Gas Oil) | Road Diesel (EN 590) |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical Composition | Virtually identical — same base fuel | Same base fuel as red diesel |
| Color | Red (dyed) | Clear / light straw |
| Sulfur Content | Variable (10–500 ppm) — typically higher | ≤10 ppm (ULSD) or ≤50 ppm (Standard) |
| Tax Treatment | Lower tax / duty (off-road use) | Full road fuel duty applied |
| Price (relative) | 5–15% lower than road diesel | Base price + full duty |
| Legal Use | OFF-ROAD ONLY — illegal on public roads | On-road & off-road |
| For DPF/SCR Engines | Not always suitable (sulfur may be too high) | 10 ppm required for Euro 5/6 engines |
Some newer off-road equipment from 2019+ uses DPF and SCR systems. If your excavator or generator has a DPF, you need ULSD (10 ppm) — red or not. We can supply 10 ppm red diesel for this application — just specify when ordering.
If you also use road diesel, maintain completely separate storage tanks. Cross-contamination — even residual road diesel in a tank filled with red — could result in trace dye in a road vehicle's tank with serious legal consequences.
Keep delivery notes and invoices for all red diesel purchases. If authorities question your use of red diesel, documented evidence of legitimate off-road use is your protection. We provide full documentation with every delivery.
Anyone refueling vehicles or equipment should know which equipment takes which fuel, and the legal consequences. A single misfueling incident can cost far more than the fuel price difference.
Tell us your monthly volume, required sulfur level, and delivery location. We'll provide a competitive quote — usually within hours.
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