EMEA News
Fuel oil transport by VLCCs in Rotterdam Port Reaches Record Level in 2015
Records for fuel shipment by very large crude carriers at the Port of Rotterdam were shattered in 2015, with 51 vessels having discharged and/or loaded fuel oil last year, according to the Port.
That number is 22 more than last year for the 200,000-320,000 deadweight tonnage class, and 12 more than in the Port's record year of 2012.
Additionally, the Port received a record number of 45 Suezmax tankers in Rotterdam, 4 more than in 2014.
All told, about 28.3 billion litres of fuel oil was shipped from Rotterdam.
Ronald Backers, business intelligence advisor for the Port of Rotterdam Authority (PRA), said the increase in transport was partly due to Northwest European refineries operating at full capacity as well as built-up Russian fuel stocks flowing into Rotterdam and other ports.
He added that fuel oil demand is slightly lower due to the requirement to use bunker fuel in the North and Baltic seas with a maximum sulfur content of 0.5 percent: "This was achieved by using Marine Gas Oil; all in all, this has led to a surplus of fuel oil, which had to be shifted to other markets."
Meanwhile, the PRA is gearing up to accommodate a growing liquefied natural gas (LNG) market: last month it announced an additional incentive programme that will provide seagoing vessels that bunker LNG in Rotterdam with a 10 percent discount on gross seaport dues.
