Saturday 27 / April / 2024
Muscat: Sohar Port and Freezone announced the implementation of ISO 22192 international standards for marine fuel supplies, aligning with global best practices observed in ports like Singapore and Rotterdam.
This strategic move, which mandates the use of Mass Flow Meters (MFM) for fuel supplies, positions Sohar Port and Freezone as a pioneer in the Middle East, fostering enhanced operational efficiency and market competitiveness while supporting the development of bunker market.
Sohar Port and Freezone signed an MoU agreement with TFG Marine during International Energy Week in London marked a significant step towards establishing an international bunker fuel supply operation within Sohar Port and Freezone. This strategic collaboration, coupled with the implementation of ISO 22192 international standards for Marine fuel supplies, positions Sohar as a global leader in the marine fuel sector.
Commenting on this agreement, Emile Hoogsteden, CEO of Sohar Port said: “This agreement reconfirms Sohar Port’s commitment to build a digitalised and transparent bunker operation that meets international standards already introduced in Singapore and soon to be implemented in Rotterdam. This will enable TFG Marine to establish an international bunker fuel supply operation at Sohar Port and to offer all grades of bunker fuel to vessels.”
The port’s anchorage areas are located within 4 to 10 nautical miles offshore. With a depth of between 30 to 60 meters, more than 3,000 vessels of all sizes currently call at the port each year. This will increase as TFG Marine will be able to refuel the fleet of its joint venture owners, Trafigura, Frontline and Golden Ocean, which collectively manage a fleet of more than 700 owned and chartered vessels, as well as third party vessels.
“This is an ideal location for TFG to establish its first bunker fuel supply operation in the Middle East,” said Kenneth Dam, TFG Marine’s Global Head of Bunkering. “With the intention to emulate Singapore’s best in class approach there is the potential for Sohar Port to quickly become a major new physical bunkering procurement location in the Middle East for the world’s shipping fleet.”
TFG Marine intends to start deliveries with a local operating company with its first bunker vessel arriving at Sohar Port in the coming months. The vessel will be fitted with a Mass Flow Meter (MFM), calibrated to the ISO 22192 international standard as required by Sohar Port. TFG Marine has long been an advocate of the global adoption of calibrated MFMs to bring much-needed transparency to bunkering and encouraging digitalisation in the long-term interests of the bunker industry and helping to further the decarbonisation goals of the shipping industry.
Committed to excellence, Sohar will conduct a comprehensive training programme to equip its workforce with the necessary skills, contributing to the advancement of the marine fuel sector in the region.
