M/V ERVIKEN in trouble due to bunkering operation ban at the port of Ust-Luga

The Norway flagged crude oil tanker ERVIKEN has appeared to be in complicated situation following a refusal issued by Energy Customs to supply bunker fuel at the inner anchorage of the port of Ust -Luga port (anch. No 11). Until recently (up to 23 August 2013) this has been an offshore bunkering location for all tankers making calls at the port, a spokesperson for the bunker supplying company told PortNews.

The bunkers operator said that as a result the tanker which has shortage of fuel supplies on board is unable to make a voyage from the Russian port of Ust -Luga (Leningrad region) to the port of Houston, USA.

The tanker arrived at the port of Ust-Luga on August 30, 2013 at 02.00am (Moscow Time) for loading of oil products. At the time of arrival the vessel had in its tanks, according to Ship's Store Declaration: IFO - 678.6 metric ton (HSFO - 507 mt; LSFO - 171.6 mt); MGO - 108.2 mt. The ship's fuel tanks designed capacity: IFO - 4122.9 mt; MGO - 213.3mt.

Moreover, part of the tanker’s route runs along the Baltic Sea, where the MARPOL requirements prescribe all vessels bound for the Baltic Sea should operate on low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO).

The source in the bunker company told PortNews that the M/V ERVIKEN does not have sufficient fuel supplies for this voyage, and the transition to high sulfur fuels is prohibited in the Baltic Sea.

When entering the Atlantic Ocean the ship begins to utilize high sulfur fuel, but the grade fuel is also in minimum volume. The tanker will not call at any other foreign port, neither for cargo operations nor for replenishment of fuel and other supplies, as it will be loaded under the load line and will not be able to enter because of the ship’s draft.

Earlier, the authorities of Central Energy Customs ( CEC ) had issued an instruction that prescribed to carry out all bunkering of arriving ships at the port of Ust -Luga at the terminal of RosneftBunker. In its turn, the terminal operator has announced that its facilities are not prepared for bunkering of the ships and refused to provide its berths.