New marine fuel terminal strategically located to serve major East-West shipping routes, as well as domestic and regional vessels
Oman Oil Marketing Company – OOMCO, the leading marketer and distributor of multi-sector fuel and lubricant products, recently launched a new bunker terminal at the Port of Duqm. Strategically located on Oman’s south-east coast, the new marine fuel terminal will serve the international shipping market given its close proximity to significant shipping traffic accessing the Suez Canal, Arabian Gulf, and Indian Ocean.
“OOMCO’s development of the Duqm Bunker terminal is part of Oman’s Vision 2040 development plan to diversify the Sultanate’s economy, including the marine and logistics sectors, while leveraging the country’s strategic location,” said Hilal Ali Al Kharusi, Chairman of OOMCO. “The future of the logistics sector in Oman gets stronger with such initiatives that link us with the rest of the world. We are positive that this project will enable more economic diversification and position the Sultanate of Oman as a world-class international logistics hub”.
The new Port of Duqm terminal will offer the highest specification HSFO, VLSFO and LSMGO marine fuel in compliance with ISO 8217, and has been designed to meet the increasing demands for quality marine fuel, including all low sulphur fuel-compliant marine fuels in line with IMO2020. Bunkers will also be delivered by barge, with the addition of the 10,000 metric tonne (MT) the MT Alpha – capable of delivering HSFO 3.5% Sulphur, VLSFO 0.5% Sulphur, LSMGO, at a pumping rate up to 1,000 m3 / hour. The services available at OOMCO Bunker terminal will ensure that all bunker deliveries will meet the highest international specification standards.
The terminal will operate in full compliance with the health and safety protocols of the Port of Duqm and in line with Omani COVID-19 regulations. Vessels calling at Duqm can also take advantage of a range of high-quality and diverse services at the port, including pilotage, freshwater supply, waste collection, tug services, crew change, de-slopping services, and ship handling, plus ship spares and dry dock services.
“The bunker fuel market in the Middle-East and Africa region is expected to grow at more than 12% during the period of 2022-2025. The commissioning of the bunker terminal means OOMCO can now offer the growing number of Duqm fleet customers access to high quality marine fuels that meet their requirements coupled with state-of-the-art facilities, support infrastructure and above all effective supply chain,” said Hussain Jama Bait Ishaq, Acting Chief Executive Officer of OOMCO. “Through this milestone, we are taking a step forward to achieving our goal to be among the top fuel bunker suppliers in the GCC by 2027.”
“We are extremely proud to see our new bunker terminal open for business at the port of Duqm. This world-class facility is located close to some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, and will operate to the highest standards of safety, quality and service. For domestic, regional and international shipping, Duqm offers a smart, efficient alternative to diverting to other ports in the region, saving time and money, and avoiding the risk of further delay,” said Ali Ahmed Muqaibal, General Manager – International Retail at OOMCO.
“We are confident that our ambitious growth plans, supported by our location within the Duqm Special Economic Zone, will allow us to sustainably grow the terminal, delivering further economies of scale and facilitating the purchase of larger volumes to benefit our customers. We look forward to establishing the Port of Duqm as a strategic bunkering hub for international shipping and Oman as a major shipping and logistics centre for the region and the world,” he added.
OOMCO’s bunkering services are underpinned by the nearby Duqm refinery, which, when completed, will have the capacity for 230,000 barrels per day. In addition, the nearby Ras Markaz storage terminal is also currently under construction, geared to offer six million barrels of storage capacity once completed in 2022. An additional capacity of 19 million barrels is earmarked for the site as part of its future development.