Monjasa sees increase in Atlantic Outer Anchorage bunker fuel enquiries 

International bunkering firm Monjasa on Friday (29 September) said the Panama Canal is a key global trade waterway, but the challenging low water levels caused by the historic drought, now has a spillover effect on the area’s bunkering logistics as well.

“The increased waiting time of 10-15+ days has a direct impact on vessels expecting to take bunkers in the Cristobal area. We now see an increase in Atlantic Outer Anchorage fuel enquiries reflecting the time pressure and increased shipping costs that shipowners are currently facing,” said Kristian Hansen, Trading Director, Monjasa Americas, in a social media post.       

Monjasa said tanker operators, Penfield Marine LLC and Hafnia, consider this an increasingly viable refuelling option as overall operations costs are increasing:  

“Outer Anchorage supply is very important for our operation, not only it is right in the crosshairs of an important shipping lane, but our larger tankers can often not be accommodated at inner anchorage for bunkers. A joint survey and great customer service makes for a smooth operation,” said John Llewellyn, Penfield Marine LLC.

“The option to bunker at Outer Anchorage at Cristobal solves potential challenges with bunkering at inner anchorage such as draft limitation, restricted anchorage space and limited time for bunkering before transit,” Matias Engel, Hafnia, explained. 

The firm added the Outer Anchorage marine fuels option has been developed in close collaboration with the Panama Canal Authority.

Photo credit: Monjasa
Published: 3 October, 2023