BP Marine inaugurates new bunkerage storage facility in Salalah

The facility, which includes five fuel oil tanks with a total capacity of 88,000 metric tons and a 500 metric ton gas oil tank, will double BP's storage capacity at the port.

The tank farm facility was inaugurated by Kevin James, CEO of BP Marine, who said Salalah Port is well positioned to become one of the world's leading trans-shipment centres. 'With its strategic location, modern infrastructure and ability to handle the next generation of super container vessels, Salalah will play a key role in the region's economic growth.'

Salalah is strategically located on the main Europe-Asia shipping lane of the Equatorial trade route, one of the fastest growing routes in the world. Since it opened in 1998 it has rapidly risen to become one of the busiest transhipment ports in the Indian Ocean region.

Tiemen Meester, CEO of The Port of Salalah, said at the opening ceremony: 'The new tank farm will upgrade the existing bunker operation to a state of the art, high speed facility. This type of bunker facility is rare to the region and will provide vessels that travel along the east west trade lane with competitively priced fuel available at only a minimum deviation.'

'The Port of Salalah is proud to once again partner itself with BP Marine which is recognised for its excellent environmental and safety standards.'

The port recently announced plans to invest US$94 million in additional infrastructure, as well as a government investment of $262 million to build two additional berths and a 2.85-km-long breaker water. This expansion project will allow the port to handle up to eight container ships at a time and take its total capacity to around four million TEU (twenty foot container equivalent units) per annum from its current 2.4 million TEUs.

BP originally began its Salalah bunkering service in March 2002 following an agreement forged with the port operator, Salalah Port Services (SPS). It supplies three main grades of fuel to vessels at berth and at anchorage within the port's limits.