The first bunkering was performed in the passenger port of Tallinn by a tanker of AS BalticMarineBunker, an Estonian company recently acquired by Gazpromneft Marine Bunker, the Company said.
The tanker supplied more than 580 tons of LSFO to cruise ferry Star, plying between Tallinn and Helsinki.
AS BalticMarineBunker chartered the vessel from ASTallinkGrupp on a long-term charter agreement. The company’s vessels are supplied with about 5 million tonnes of IFO380 LS (1.0%) and 150 tonnes of diesel fuel per month.
The bunker operator acquisition deal was signed by Gazpromneft MB and Estonian AS NT Marine in mid-August. The AS BalticMarineBunker owns a 2,786DWT bunkering ship for supply of both dark and light grades of marine fuels.
Gazpromneft Marine Bunker expects that the annual marine fule sales in the Tallinn port will be not less than 270,000 tonnes.
The Baltic Sea is included in the ECA zone, where the 1-percent sulfur content requirement for bunker fuel came into effect as from July 1, 2010.
Gazpromneft Marine Bunker sells in the Baltic Sea low-sulfur bunker market, supplying fuels from Gazprom Neft-owned refineries.
Gazpromneft Marine Bunker was established in 2007 as a bunkering division of Gazprom Neft to conduct year-round supply of marine fuels and lubricants for sea-going and river vessels.
The company retains a leading position in the Russian bunker market with a 18.6-percent share. Approximately 85% of the services are provided to foreign shipowners.
In 2012 the total fuel sales of Gazpromneft Marine Bunker reached 2.9 million tonnes. Board-to-board bunkering increased by 38% to 1.8 million tonnes.
Gazpromneft Marine Bunker comprises nine regional offices and four subsidiaries. Gazpromneft Shipping manages the company’s fleet. Gazpromneft Terminal SPb operates an oil depot, at St. Petersburg-based Kirov plant. Marine Bunker Balkan SA sells bunker fuels in the Black Sea port of Constanta, Romania. AS Baltic Marine Bunker operates in the Estonian port of Tallinn.
Gazpromneft Marine Bunker retains strong position in all major sea and river ports of Russia. Among other bunker suppliers, the company now has the most extensive geography of operations across Russia and is present in 16 sea ports and 13 river ports.