The Edgartown North Wharf fueling dock remained closed today — much to the chagrin of early summer boaters and Edgartown harbor master Charles Blair among others — as the latest in a series of deadlines to ready the station were missed by fueling company R.M. Packer Inc.

“They changed some rules on us,” said Mr. Packer yesterday, referring to increased state fire safety requirements, “and there will be more changes in the fall.”

Mr. Packer arranged an inspection by engineer Kent Healy yesterday morning. However, Mr. Healy did not feel qualified to pass the project. Major work on the pumps was completed last Friday, though workers were still finishing up at the site yesterday morning.

Now before the pump seals can be removed, an off-Island engineer will need to inspect the machinery, ahead of final approval by the state fire marshal.

“We are hoping to arrange that [appointment] momentarily,” said Mr. Packer, whose company operates Edgartown’s only fuel station on the harborfront.

Meanwhile, Mr. Blair, who was expecting to hand out refueling permits to boaters on Memorial Day weekend, has become increasingly frustrated.

“I need fuel,” he said yesterday. Launchers and boaters are having to transport their own fuel from the gas station.

“My greatest fear is someone is transporting gallons of gasoline in their trunk and they get rear-ended and kill a bunch of people,” he said. “I’ve had more complaints than I want to talk about.”

After an inspection last October, the state fire marshal issued R.M. Packer a series of safety violations and ordered the station closed pending repairs. Between then and March, new state regulations were put in place, but little work was carried out at the wharf. According to Mr. Packer the recent work was to ensure that valves, pipelines important to safety and underground wiring is accessible in an emergency.

“As with so much of this work, the people who do it were off-Island for the winter,” said Mr. Packer. “It’s a process,” he added. R.M. Packer Co., which has operated on the Island for 70 years, runs similar stations in Vineyard Haven and Cuttyhunk and supplies fuel to Oak Bluffs.

Edgartown selectmen met yesterday morning for an executive session — also attended by town counsel Ronald H. Rappaport — to discuss the wharf lease. The board also heard an updated report from Mr. Blair at yesterday afternoon’s selectmen’s meeting.

After the meeting, Mr. Smadbeck voiced his support for Mr. Packer.

“The rules change all the time,” he said, adding: “The service he provides is enormous and this should not get lost in these discussions.”

Mr. Packer told the Gazette that he hopes to have the station approved within the next few days.

“The work is done and is up to standards from our point of view,” he said.