Americas News
Chilean Supplier to Deploy Two More Bunker Vessels
Chilean supplier Copec Marine Fuels (Copec) Wednesday announced plans to add two bunkering ships to operation at the country's southernmost ports, Platts reports.
The Tamina, a bunker tanker with an approximately 1,210 metric tonne (mt) capacity for MGO, is said to be set to start supplying operations after November 1, while another new tanker of about half of Tamina's capacity, will enter service at the end of December or early next year and be based in Punta Arenas.
Copec's bunker fleet will be brought to a total of five vessels with the addition of the two new tankers, a move that it says will enable the company to better serve the cruise, fishing, and research market along the southern tip of South America.
The company's current three ships are said to serve a much larger area than the Tamina, with the Don Pancho and the Don Gonzalo noted to both have 4,100 mt of carrying capacity for IFO grades.
The new ship, which has not yet been named, is said to be largely intended to resupply the Tamina, saving the vessel from having to make the two-day trip between Puerto Williams and Punta Arenas.
Copec says that both ships will also be able to service customers that are unable to call Valparaiso due to weather or other circumstances.
