More VLCC'S in Rotterdam - Far East fuel oil trade

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

25 Feb 2010

VLCC’s found greater employment moving fuel oil from the Port of Rotterdam (POR) to the Far East in 2009 than in 2008. In 2009, 17 VLCC’s handled 4.0 million tons of fuel oil. By contrast, 14 VLCC’s handled 3.7 million tons of fuel oil in 2008. Neither year, however, was anywhere close to the 25 VLCC’s employed in 2007 to handle 6.4 million tons of fuel oil. Fuel oil often, but not always, moves from Rotterdam to the Far East as a backhaul voyage on VLCC’s which first discharged crude oil at Rotterdam. Underpinning the use of VLCC’s and tankers of other sizes to haul fuel oil from Rotterdam is the spread in fuel oil prices between Northwest Europe and the Far East.
In 2009, July led all other months with the loading of three VLCC’s with fuel oil. Two VLCC’s were loaded with fuel oil in June, August, and December. The 17 VLCC’s which sailed with fuel oil from Rotterdam to the Far East in 2009 were: Leo Star (January), Stena Victory (Feb.), Universal Peace (February.), Darab (April.), Nesa (May), Pisces Star (June), Hero 1 (June), Front Circassia (July), Hamoon (July), Hirmand (July), Kamakshi Prem (August), Dena (August), Front Chief (September) Mazyonah (October), Ocana (November) Damavand (December) and Kazimah III (December). In contrast to the one VLCC which loaded at Rotterdam in January 2009, three VLCC’s loaded in the corresponding month this year.
VLCC’s can be loaded with fuel oil at the Port of Rotterdam from terminals, refineries and an in-port transshipment facility. The key terminals employed in loading VLCC’s are Vopak's Europoort and Vitol's ETT. Fuel oil can be loaded the KPC and BP refineries. The Port of Rotterdam's ship-to-ship in-port facility was inaugurated in June 2007. The facility, located at Calandkanaal, can handle chemicals and dry bulk as well as tankers. The POR facility has LOA of 380 meters and maximum outgoing draft of 20.9 meters.An alternative to loading VLCC’s in Rotterdam is offshore ship-to-ship transfer of fuel oil in waters off the UK and Denmark.

Source: Fuel oil & feedstock trader