Istanbul Annual Bunker Sales Climb 12%

A local source says 2016 has "started optimistically" with similar volumes to 2015, 

Bunker sales for all products in Istanbul during 2015 climbed 11.8 percent year-on-year, according to the latest information from the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA).

In its latest annual oil report, which includes total international bunker sales by all suppliers, EMRA said total bunker sales for all products in 2015 was 2,138,987 metric tonnes (mt), compared to 1,913,000 mt in 2014.

The 2015 total comprised of 1,705,370 mt of fuel oil and 433,617 mt of MGO.

The report names Arkas Petrol as the port's new top supplier by volume, with 677,001 mt sold (584,814 mt fuel oil and 92,187 mt MGO).

Last year's leader, OMV Petrol Ofisi, was second, with 451,671 mt (359,387 mt fuel oil and 92,284 mt MGO).

Third placed was Energy Petrol with 347,139 mt (275,128 mt fuel oil and 72,011 mt MGO).

Socar was fourth, with 344,527 mt sold (267,491 mt fuel oil and 77,036 mt MGO), followed by CYE Petrol with 318,649 mt sold (218,550 mt fuel oil and 100,099 mt MGO).

Other notable changes for the suppliers included Energy Petrol climbing to third place, who as Ship & Bunker previously reported saw 38 percent growth in 2015 compared to the 252,000 mt the supplier sold in the previous year.

For 2015 the number of suppliers also dropped from six to five, after OW Bunker subsidiary TBS left the market following the well documented bankruptcy of its parent company.

That number may fall again, with Ship & Bunker last week reporting that Austria-based OMV AG (OMV) said it is looking to sell up to 100 percent of its Turkey-based subsidiary OMV Petrol Ofisi A. S..

Ship & Bunker understands there were over 10 suppliers in 2013.

There are currently a total of 55 barges serving the port.

"Istanbul is a perfect supply port, very good quality has been supplied without quantity issues," one local source told Ship & Bunker when asked about the uptick in bunker sales.

In terms of the year ahead, another source said 2016 has "started optimistically" and was showing almost the same volume as 2015, despite heavy competition by other ports, but particularly Novorossiysk.

Earlier this month Ship & Bunker reported that Energy Petrol CEO Mustafa Muhtaroglu, along with Bob Sanguinetti, CEO and Captain of the Port of Gibraltar, and Henrik Zederkof, CEO of Dan-Bunkering, will all join the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) Board on April 1, 2016.