The Japanese navy, also known as the Maritime Self Defense Forces (MSDF), is looking to acquire a 300,000 deadweight tonne (dwt) oil tanker to transport bunker fuel to its base at White Beach port on Okinawa island.
Plans for the acquisition will be included in a MSDF review that identifies future equipment procurement for the five years beginning April 2019, according to Reuters.
The development is spurred by an increase in naval operations in the East China Sea; Japan and China are currently involved in a territorial dispute over the ownership of a group of islands claimed as the Senkaku in Tokyo and Diaoyu in Beijing.
Commercial entities currently take up to two months to supply bunker fuel to the MSDF’s White Beach facility once a contract agreement has been reach.
The increased frequency of operations within the region has led to new requirements for MSDF to secure its own bunker avails.
“Activity at White Beach has increased by three to four times, but there isn’t enough space to expand capacity,” said a source.
“It takes too long time for ships to return to their base in (mainland) Kyushu for refuelling so more are stopping in Okinawa instead,” notes another.
Photo credit: Maritime Self Defense Forces
Published: 6 March, 2018
Transferred shares of 40 subsidiaries to BVI firm after tribunal awarded claims in favour of Trinity Seatrading; YSPL has also filed a civil complaint against DNV and Liberian ship registry at Nanjing Maritime Court.
ADNOC L&S, Gulf Energy Maritime, Cockett Marine Oil, Mideast/Bahri Ship Management and VPS experts present their views on biofuel bunker hurdles at the VPS Biofuels Seminar in Dubai on 16 March.
‘Bunker barges operate in very local areas so these vessels call at port very often which means it will be a good fit for women with families,’ states Elpi Petraki, President of WISTA International.
“Our Singapore branch is under preparation and is expected to start business at the republic before June 2023,” Managing Director Darcy Wong tells bunkering publication Manifold Times in an interview.
Development to supply B35 biodiesel blend officially takes effect on 1 February; local bunker suppliers will be able to deliver updated spec within March onwards, once current stocks of B30 avails run out.
VPS, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Wilhelmsen Ship Management, and INTERTANKO executives offered a multitude of perspectives to 73 attendees during the VPS Biofuels Seminar, reports Manifold Times.