Andrey Krykov: “Bunker Company is permanently improving its logistics processes”
ZAO Bunker Company (Arkhangelsk) holds the leading position in the market of oil products transportation to the Far North regions. In its interview with IAA PortNews, Andrey Krykov, General Director of the company, tells about its activities and development plans.
- Mr. Krykov, what are the activities of your company?
- For more than 20 years, the company has been engaged in bunkering of vessels, handling and storing of cargo, selling of oil products, transportation of cargo, processing and laboratory testing of oil products. Bunker Company also offers blending of fuels to our clients’ individual requests. The fuel quality is under permanent monitoring at our in-house test laboratory certified by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. Total transportation of oil products in summer navigation period of 2015 – 2017 exceeded 600,000 tonnes.
- The company takes part in the Northern Delivery programme. How do you plan your logistics in the hard-to-reach regions of the Far North?
- That is true, every year the company participates in supplying bulk and packaged oil products to consumers in the Komi Republic, Nenets Autonomous Region and Arkhangelsk Region including the coasts of the White, Barents and Kara seas. During summer navigation period of 2015 – 2017 the company transported 130,000 tonnes of oil products under the Northern Delivery programme.
From 2013, we have been permanently improving and streamlining logistic processes to provide fuel to vertically integrated companies involved in the Arctic development projects. The company decreases costs both within standard logistic processes (purchase, transshipment, transportation and storage of oil products) and within special processes like supply of oil products to bunkering ships and contractors’ tankers. That is to improve the service on product delivery to the end user. That also lets decrease the expenses of the company and its contractors as well as improve the services’ quality and promptness. This approach is seen in the company’s motto: “Together we achieve more!”
- How do you ensure competitiveness in the bunkering market?
- The Bunker Company has established close relations with refineries that lets sell oil products at competitive prices. The company supplies heavy fuel oil and diesel fuel by its own fleet. In some cases the company charters vessels from other organizations.
- What are the company’s fleet, production facilities and development plans today?
- Our fleet includes bunkering ships Dvian, Tovra and Mys Almazny with total deadweight of 5,175 cbm; oil-and-ore carrier Graf (2,850 cbm); storage tankers Iles, Kasimov and Pluton with total deadweight of 13,500 cbm; oil barge Tura (3,000 cbm); towing ships Taimyr and BК-011.
The company’s production facilities are located in Arkhangelsk and include a facility for discharge of oil products (19 tank cars for heavy fuel oil and 28 tank cars for light oil products); onshore boiler station; a dedicated berth for loading of oil products; a certified laboratory for testing of oil products; three KAMAZ tractor units for transportation of dark and light oil products. Last year the company started modernization of its base in Arkhangelsk. The nearest plans include the upgrading of the fleet bunkering and storage tankers.
From 2014, the company has been an owner of a transport and production facility in Pechora. It is located in Puteyets settlement (Pechora District of the Komi Republic) and include towing ships Azov, Ples and Volzhanin; five oil barges with total capacity of 4,800 cbm; a floating crane PK-79/16; storage and repair facilities and buildings.
About the company: the company is a member of the International Bunker Industry Association from 1997. In 2018, the company joined the Association of Oil and Gas Suppliers “Sozvezdye” established by the initiative of the Arkhangelsk Region Government for integration of the region’s industrial potential and for participation in oil and gas projects in the Arctic.
