EMEA News
Cape Town "Simply Not Designed to Cope" with Ex-Truck Delivery
Two South African fishing companies say that July's removal of Cape Town's pipeline system for bunkering has increased truck-to-ship fuel deliveries, causing congestion and increasing the risk of accidents in the harbour, local media reports.
While there is reported to be a bunkering barge still in operation, it is understood that it is not able to refuel most smaller vessels, leaving a large number of vessels to depend on ex-truck bunkering.
"Our harbours are simply not designed to cope with this method of fuel delivery," said Francois Kuttel, CEO of the Oceana Group Limited (Oceana Group).
"Currently the harbour is congested with fuel trucks waiting to deliver fuel.
"The truck drivers have to reverse down quaysides not designed for this operation just to get close to vessels to connect portable hoses."
When the pipeline system was still in use, the average refueling time was said to be about four hours, but with the system out of service, ships are now said to be waiting up to three days to be refueled by the tankers.
"The largest trucks can only carry a maximum of 39,000 litres, which means we have to order 10 trucks to fuel our larger hake vessels," explained Kuttel.
Suzanne Pullinger, a spokesperson for Chevron Corporation, which represents the pipeline system's owner, Joint Bunkering Services (JBS) - along with companies like BP plc, and Engen Petroleum - explained that the pipeline was closed as “part of an ongoing environmental risk assessment programme."
"JBS advised customers in July that the bunkering operations via pipeline would be terminated, and that alternative arrangements will be in place to supply vessels via the barge operations.
"The redirection of vessels to another port shall be at the discretion of the customer," stated Pullinger.
David Jooste, of Trade Ocean shipping services, estimates that about 400 vessels calling the port every year will be affected by the pipeline's decommissioning.
"The vast majority of the local and foreign fishing fleet calling at Cape Town are vessels under 70 metres in length, as well as many of the offshore oil and gas support vessels,” added Jooste.
Ship agents and fishing companies are reported to be supportive of proposals for a second bunker barge that could bunker the smaller ships as well.
In June, Ship & Bunker reported that Burgan Cape Terminals (Burgan) had been given the go ahead to construct an independent fuel storage and distribution facility in South Africa by the Western Cape government.
