Gazpromneft Marine Bunker, Gazprom Neft's bunkering business, increased sales of ULSF by 11% in January-June to 121,400 tonnes, this company said Friday.
The bulk of MAPROL, SECA compliant marine fuel with 0.1% sulphur was sold in the ports of the North-West region, primarily in Port of St. Petersburg.
The total sales volume of Gazprom Neft marine fuels for the first six months of 2019 increased by 23% compared to the same period last year to 1.53 million tonnes.
ULSF sales in the ports of the North-West region of Russia rose 26% to 857,500 tonnes, in the Black Sea region - by 14% to 503,200 tonnes. Bunkering of river vessels on inland waterways surged by 90% to 106,300 tonnes.
Gazprom Neft says it continues to develop its products range, increasing sales of environmental marine and hybrid fuels with a sulphur content 0.5% produced at the Moscow and Omsk oil refineries of Gazprom Neft.
Gazprom Neft mulls over shifting to LNG bunkering as an alternative to conventional bunker fuel. The company intends to develop a new LNG bunkering market for the domestic shipping industry. To this end, Gazprom Neft initiated the introduction into the practice of Russian shipping of LNG bunkering international standards, and also began to develop a project of the first LNG bunker vessel in Russia. The LNG bunker ship is expected to be delivered and commissioned in 2021. The vessel will bunker LNG-powered ships in the ports of the North-West region of Russia.
Gazpromneft Marine Bunker, a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft, was established in 2007 to provide year-round supplies of marine fuel and oils for sea and river vessels. Gazpromneft Marine Bunker currently has eight regional offices and six subsidiary companies. Gazpromneft Marine Bunker operates in main sea ports of Russia.
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. The MARPOL Convention was adopted on 2 November 1973 at IMO.
IMO regulations to reduce sulphur oxides (SOx) emissions from ships first came into force in 2005, under Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention. Since then, the limits on sulphur oxides have been progressively tightened. From 1 January 2020, the limit for sulphur in fuel oil used on board ships operating outside designated emission control areas will be reduced to 0.50% m/m (mass by mass). This will significantly reduce the amount of sulphur oxides emanating from ships and should have major health and environmental benefits for the world, particularly for populations living close to ports and coasts.