World Bunkering > News > Spring 2011 > Global round-up

AFRICA

Aegean starts supply in Cape Verde

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network (Aegean) is to launch physical supply operations in Cape Verde, an archipelago of 10 islands located off the coast of Western Africa. The company has also entered a strategic cooperation with Enacol, a local energy company based in Cape Verde, which will provide storage for the venture.

Under the terms of the agreement, Aegean Marine will provide bunkering services from the port of Mindelo on the island of Sao Vicente, and offshore. The port of Mindelo serves as a strategic commercial hub that lies along major cross-Atlantic shipping routes as well as important trade routes between Europe and the Far East via the Cape of Good Hope. Aegean Marine expects to initially deploy one double-hull bunkering tanker to Cape Verde and commence operations by the end of the first quarter of 2011. Enacol will be responsible for providing storage for quality fuel oils and distillates to meet the needs of all major sectors within the international shipping industry.

Aegean’s president, Nikolas Tavlarios, said: “The port of Mindelo provides exciting opportunities for our company as we remain focused on profitably increasing sales volumes. By providing an integrated marine fuel solution throughout this market, which connects critical trade routes between North and South America, Africa and Europe, we expect to increase fleet utilisation and expand our future earnings potential. Importantly, based on our cooperation with Cape Verde’s leading energy company, we will not incur any incremental capital expenditures by launching operations in this new and attractive market. We also expect to achieve operational efficiencies with our existing service centres located in Ghana and Las Palmas.”

AMERICAS

OW launches physical supply in Panama

Danish-based global marine fuel supplier and trader OW Bunker has launched physical operations in Panama. The company says the move continues its strategy of expanding its physical supply base and ensuring that customers have access to quality products when and where they need them. Following the recent commencement of a physical offering in Uruguay, it also represents OW Bunker’s continued focus on South America, which it sees as a fast-growing economy, and as a critical market for future growth.

OW Bunker has been trading in Panama for several years but is now bringing a state-of-the-art double-hulled barge from its 32-vessel global fleet to support physical operations. The OW Otilia is one of the largest bunker barges operating in Panama with a capacity of 8,000 tonnes. It has a pumping rate of up to 700 cu m and also features flow meters and an electronic cargo control system to monitor quantity.

In addition to providing a full range of fuel from distillates up to IFO 380 cSt, OW says the vessel also has digital onboard blending equipment “so that products can be delivered precisely to required specifications”. Technical management is being undertaken by OW’s European headquarters.

Andrew Huzzard, Branch Manager, OW Bunker Panama, commented: “We have already built a good reputation as a highly experienced, responsible and flexible trading operation in Panama. The launch of our physical presence will not only further strengthen our offering, but also consolidate our position as one of the leading suppliers in the region. Fundamentally, we know what our customers want, and have the knowledge, experience, product quality and infrastructure to deliver it.”

Götz Lehsten, Vice President, OW Bunker, added: “South America is a critical market, and we are wholly focused on ensuring that we can provide quality products and supply, and developing our physical operations as part of our ongoing commitment to our customers. It’s a rapidly expanding market, which will see an increase in demand for fuel oil and related services. Based on our knowledge and understanding of the region, combined with our global capabilities to quickly source product as well as our flexibility in pricing, we believe that we are well positioned to meet any demands or challenges that our customers might face.”

ASIA

Singapore tops 40 million tonnes

The total volume of bunkers sold in the Port of Singapore grew 12.3% to reach a record 40.9 million tonnes, compared to 36.4 million tonnes in 2009, according to the latest figures from the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore. This is the first time that bunker sales crossed the 40 million tonnes mark.

An MPA statement says: “The Port of Singapore experienced a positive year in 2010, showing good growth in all areas. Singapore cemented its global leading position in terms of vessel arrival tonnage and bunker sales. Singapore’s container and cargo throughput also improved, reversing the decline seen in 2009. The Singapore Registry of Ships continued to grow and ranks among the top 10 worldwide.” Vessel arrivals in terms of shipping tonnage reached 1.92billion gt in 2010, an increase of 7.5%. Container ships and tankers were the top contributors, accounting for 32.0% and 29.7% respectively of the total vessel arrival tonnage.

BP Singapore supplied most marine fuel in the port. There was an increase of five bunker suppliers during 2010, a spokesperson told World Bunkering, giving the port a total number of 80 as of the end of 2010. This all adds to the picture of a continued boom in the country’s bunker industry, reinforced by an upbeat assessment by energy specialist Poten & Partners, which predicted continued expansion and that competition from China would only increase slowly.

The top 20 were:
1 BP Singapore
2 ExxonMobil Asia Pacific
3 SK Energy International
4 Aegean Bunkering
5 Global Energy Trading
6 Chemoil International
7 Sentek Marine & Trading
8 Shell Eastern Trading
9 Singapore Petroleum
10 Searights Marine Services
11 Equatorial Marine Fuel Management Services
12 Transocean Oil
13 Northwest Resource
14 OW Bunker
15 Hai Yin Marine
16 Seven Seas Oil Trading
17 Toyota Tsusho Petroleum
18 Alliance Oil Trading Trading
19 Singamas Petroleum Trading
20 Gas Trade

Crowded market in Indonesia

An increase in bunker suppliers at Tanjung Priok, from nine in 2009 to 20 now, has hit operating margins and led to a call for a curb on competition, according to a report in Bisnis Indonesia. The paper quotes Indonesian Bunker Service Association (APBI) adviser Manuel Moniaga as saying suppliers’ margins at Jakarta’s main port had been hit hard, falling by about 50%. He is quoted as saying: “At the present time there are more than 50 barges supplying bunkers in Priok.”

Mr Moniaga said that while the number of suppliers had increased, the troubled shipping market had not grown. The APBI has called on state-owned oil giant Pertamina to put a cap on the number of suppliers and also wants the company to improve berthing provision for bunker barges.

EUROPE

Dan Bunkering moves into Monaco

Dan Bunkering is to launch a Monaco-based trading team in early 2011. The team will be headed by Olga Balaban, previously a bunker trader at the company’s head office in Middelfart, Denmark, as Senior Bunker Trader & Sales Manager. Ms Balaban has been with the company for several years, and has extensive expertise within the bunker industry, Dan Bunkering said. Dan Bunkering plans to appoint more staff to join the Monaco trading team, which is expected to be open for business in February 2011.

COMPANY NEWS

New head for Lintec

Lintec Testing Services Ltd has appointed Geoff Jones as Global Fuels Director following what it says is the most successful 12 months in the company’s history. Jones will assume his new role on 1 April with Steve Bee succeeding Geoff Jones as General Manager. Tracy Wardell, an experienced technical manager in the global oil testing industry, has also joined Lintec’s management team as Operations & Key Accounts Manager, the role formerly held by Bee.

Geoff Jones says: “Steve Bee’s appointment is designed to help position Lintec for further successful development on an international scale and will allow me to focus on growing Lintec’s global footprint. It is good news for everybody, and particularly for our customers, because it provides the continuity which is essential for growth and improvement.”

Steve Bee, who joined Lintec in 2007, has more than 25 years’ experience of analytical chemistry and business management. He says: “The new roles for Geoff and I will set fresh challenges that can further enhance the development of Lintec in the global market.”