The Gibraltar Port Authority (GPA) is in discussions to find ways of relieving congestion for vessels waiting to bunker.
“We have put a number of proposals to the Government,” The GPA chief executive and port captain, Captain Cliff Brand, told Bunkerworld on Thursday.
“One plan involves opening up the eastern anchorage for bunkering.”
He said that if the proposal went ahead it would alleviate congestion in the port's western anchorage, where bunker operations currently take place.
Other proposals include relocating the 'mother ships' that store store bunker product and resuming ex-pipe deliveries from land-based storage tanks.
Brand said the proposals were now with the Gibraltar Government. He said he expected a decision 'within months.'
Gibraltar is a major bunkering hub and the largest supplier on marine fuel in the Western Mediterranean.
Bunker sales this year are expected to be close to 4 million metric tonnes.
Figures published by the Port of Gibraltar showed the volume of bunker fuel sold in 2006 was slightly down on 2005.
One player, speaking to Bunkerworld earlier this year when the 2006 figures were announced, said they reflected how hard it was for Gibraltar to grow its bunker market as there were physical limits as to how much the port could supply, in part because of the limited anchorage set aside for bunkering.
The eastern anchorage is currently used as a waiting area.
“We have put a number of proposals to the Government,” The GPA chief executive and port captain, Captain Cliff Brand, told Bunkerworld on Thursday.
“One plan involves opening up the eastern anchorage for bunkering.”
He said that if the proposal went ahead it would alleviate congestion in the port's western anchorage, where bunker operations currently take place.
Other proposals include relocating the 'mother ships' that store store bunker product and resuming ex-pipe deliveries from land-based storage tanks.
Brand said the proposals were now with the Gibraltar Government. He said he expected a decision 'within months.'
Gibraltar is a major bunkering hub and the largest supplier on marine fuel in the Western Mediterranean.
Bunker sales this year are expected to be close to 4 million metric tonnes.
Figures published by the Port of Gibraltar showed the volume of bunker fuel sold in 2006 was slightly down on 2005.
One player, speaking to Bunkerworld earlier this year when the 2006 figures were announced, said they reflected how hard it was for Gibraltar to grow its bunker market as there were physical limits as to how much the port could supply, in part because of the limited anchorage set aside for bunkering.
The eastern anchorage is currently used as a waiting area.