BP Marine's deepwater containership fuelling terminal at the Middle Eastern Port of Salalah will be expanded through the addition of two new berths.The first of the new berths at the 16-metre-draft terminal will come on line at the end of the first quarter of 2007, followed by a second berth in the last quarter, bringing the total number of berths at the terminal to six.
The two new berths are intended to enable BP Marine to respond to growing demand for marine bunker fuel by containerships and general cargo ships, said a report in The Times of Oman. The newspaper said that since the terminal began operations in July 2005, almost 1,117 vessels have refuelled at Salalah, including the world's largest containership the Emma Maersk.
The two new berths are intended to enable BP Marine to respond to growing demand for marine bunker fuel by containerships and general cargo ships, said a report in The Times of Oman. The newspaper said that since the terminal began operations in July 2005, almost 1,117 vessels have refuelled at Salalah, including the world's largest containership the Emma Maersk.
At present, ships that ply the Asia and Middle East to Europe trades consume an average of 50,000 tonnes of bunker fuel a month at the BP Marine terminal. The opening of the new berths is expected to raise this figure to 70,000 tonnes a month. The Salalah facility is equipped with fuel pipelines to the four container and two dry cargo berths to allow more than one containership to be refuelled at one time. "The Port of Salalah offers ships a host of benefits on many levels. Logistically, the port is at the heart of the main east/west sailing routes and its levels of productivity guarantee customers fast and efficient handling. In addition, the plans for expansion at the port ensure a capacity which will cater for current and future volumes," said Chris Young, BP Marine's Middle East fuel manager.