Business

SAMSA: Authorities separate oil tankers “MT Lefkas”, “Umnenga II” in Algoa Bay oil spill incident

South African Maritime Safety Authority and authorities said two vessels were initially kept side-to-side to contain spillage while the cause of the oil spill is still under investigation.

Published

2 years ago

May 30, 2022

Admin

The following is an announcement on Friday (27 May) published on the South African Maritime Safety Authority website informing the two oil tankers involved in an oil spill incident at Algoa Bay near Ngqurha on South Africa’s eastern seaboard have finally separated while the cause of the spill is still under investigation.

Two oil tankers involved in an oil spill incident at Algoa Bay on South Africa’s eastern seaboard near Ngqurha have been finally separated, a few days after accidentally spilling oil at sea what conducting a ship-to-ship transfer about midday on Monday (23 May) this week.

Incident management authorities, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) said in a joint statement on Thursday afternoon that the cause of the oil spill was still under investigation.

Initially, the two vessels were kept side-to-side since the incident, in order to contain the spillage in their location, said the authorities. Now, with much of the oil around them collected from the waters, the authorities released the smaller tanker to sail back to the port of Port Elizabeth while the bigger one remained anchored offshore awaiting a berth at the port.

SAMSA: Authorities separate oil tankers “MT Lefkas”, “Umnenga II” in Algoa Bay oil spill incident

SAMSA, DFFE and Transnet said on Thursday: ” The investigation into the cause of the oil spill on Monday in Algoa Bay is continuing.”

“The clean-up and recovery of the spilled oil continued this morning (Thursday 26 May), (with) the recovery teams also continu(ing) with the aerial surveillance, using a drone and oil recovery boats.”

“The two (2) vessels involved were separated yesterday (25 May 2022) and the smaller vessel MT Lefkas has berthed at the port of Port Elizabeth and all the oiled equipment has been removed from the water thus posing no pollution threat to the port and its operations.

“The motor tanker Umnenga II is not able to enter port yet due to the unavailability of a suitable berth.”

According to the authorities, “None of the oil has reached the beaches. Most of the oil was cleaned and there is no oil sheen visible on the waters.

They further indicated that boat patrols by SANParks “revealed no oil near the Algoa Bay Islands and no oiled birds were spotted.”

That nowithstanding, they urged members of the public to report oiled birds and wildlife to SANPARKS or SANCCOB Gqeberha at Cape Recife Nature Reserve on 063 942 4702, “but not to approach or try to capture the affected wildlife. Rangers will continue to monitor the Islands for oiled birds retuning from their feeding grounds in Algoa Bay.”

Meanwhile, their surveillance of the coastal areas as well as the ocean adjacent the oil spill incident was continuing.

SAMSA: Authorities separate oil tankers “MT Lefkas”, “Umnenga II” in Algoa Bay oil spill incident

“A fixed wing aircraft with the state-of-the-art oil sensing equipment has been charted from Cape Town to conduct a full search for any oil over the entire Algoa Bay area. The aircraft will use high-definition cameras and oil detection systems to complete a full aerial surveillance of the Algoa Bay area.

“If there is any oil spotted the aircraft will also complete live oil spill modelling to determine the direction of oil, however the authorities are optimistic that most of the oil has been recovered and only the vessel hull cleaning needs to be completed. The Environmental Protection Vessel , the Sarah Baartman, is on standby in Algoa Bay to assist with the clean-up operations,” they said.

They further confirmed that bunkering operations remain suspended.

Photo credit: South African Maritime Safety Authority
Published: 30 May, 2022

Biofuel

Argus Media: Bunkering sector needs deeper dive into B24 bio bunker fuel market

‘As we advance into 2025, the need to understand how B24 matures in terms of market fundamentals, pricing and dynamics will be a key indicator for the marine sector,’ says Mahua Chakravarty of Argus.

Published

18 hours ago

October 4, 2024

Admin

Argus Media organises free admission ‘Argus Asia B24 Forum’ for bunkering sector

Ahead of Argus Asia B24 Forum, Manifold Times interviewed Mahua Chakravarty, Head of Marine Fuels Pricing (Asia) of independent global energy and commodity market intelligence provider Argus Media; she explains the growing prominence of B24 bunker fuel in the marine sector and believes it is imperative for the bunkering sector to deepen its knowledge on it:

MT: Why is it important for the bunkering sector to know more about the B24 bunker fuel market?

B24 has emerged as the first alternative marine fuel that allows ship-owners and charterers a drop-in fuel option, and make greenhouse gas (GHG) savings, for their voyages into EU and territorial waters.

It has proved to be the most practical solution for ship-owners that eliminates costly retrofitting charges. The easy availability of used cooking oil methyl ester (UCOME) as a blendstock from China and southeast Asia, also adds to its overall attractiveness as an alternative fuel.

B24 consumption in the port of Singapore recorded multi-fold jumps to touch 518,000t in 2023 as ship-owners fuelled for trials in preparation for the implementation of EU-led mandates like the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and the Carbon Intensity Index (CII) rating. In 2024, B24 demand has continued to grow with 377,800t of consumption seen up to August, according to statistics from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

As we advance into 2025, the need to understand how B24 matures in terms of market fundamentals, pricing and dynamics will be a key indicator for the marine sector. Being the first generation of new marine fuels, B24 has shown the way that biofuel blends can provide a solution for ship-owners/charterers to meet compliance mandates set by the EU and IMO.

MT: Why has Argus developed its own B24 Singapore price index? What's so special about it and why should the industry adopt it as a benchmark?

Argus was the first to launch its spot B24 delivered on board (DOB) Singapore assessment in January 2023, thus introducing price discovery for this market at its point of inception. The past 1.5 years of daily price assessments of B24, using a robust market survey approach, has built Argus’ understanding of this market from the start.

We have seen the growth of liquidity and the quest among refiners, traders, ship-owners to find pricing solutions for a nascent market. We have been at the forefront of capturing spot liquidity growth and in assessing prices for this market.

This index is now considered a key price assessment by key refiners, traders, ship-owners and other stakeholders in the market.

MT: What takeaways can each segment of the bunkering sector such as bunker buyers, bunker traders, and shipowners receive from the upcoming Argus B24 forum?

The Argus B24 Asia Forum is aimed at showcasing some of these learnings by a global team that covers key markets like Singapore, China and Europe. Our global team will present their insights on the key trends driving demand for marine biodiesel globally.

As the marine sector marches onwards with the bunkering of higher biofuel blends, this forum will allow the audience to reflect on the key factors that have driven the marine biodiesel sector. It will provide insights to make better decisions about infrastructure, pricing, feedstock-related issues and what blends are likely to be prevalent in the coming year.

We will be hosting a panel discussion at this forum that will include key players driving the marine biodiesel space in Singapore and other regions.

The Argus Asia B24 Forum will be held in The Village Hotel (The Events Centre by Far East Hospitality), Sentosa, Singapore (Google Maps) on 8 October between 4.00pm to 7.00pm Singapore Time.

Participants are encouraged to register for the free event via the custom link here.

Photo credit: Argus Media
Published: 4 October 2024

Bunker Fuel

Brazil: Raízen launches new bunkering operation in Itaqui

Operation will support both coastal and oceangoing vessels at Off Port Limits, allowing the firm’s customers to avoid full port call fees and unnecessary deviations, says Paula Georgopoulos Tinoco.

Published

18 hours ago

October 4, 2024

Admin

Brazil: Raízen launches new bunkering operation in Itaqui

Brazilian energy firm Raízen has launched its new bunkering operation in Itaqui at the Outer Anchorage Area, according to Paula Georgopoulos Tinoco, Bunker Sales Coordinator at Raízen on Wednesday (3 October).

The firm is providing local supplies for the grades VLSFO380 (max. 0.5%S) and LSMGO DMA (max. 0.1%S).

“The new bunkering operation will support both coastal and oceangoing vessels with different sizes and class at the Off Port Limits, allowing our customers to avoid full port call fees and unnecessary deviations at different bunkering ports,” she said in a social media post.

In September last year, Bunker Holding subsidiary Bunker One announced that it partnered with Acelen, the largest bunker producer in the Brazilian state of Bahia, to offer the only outer anchorage bunkering operation in Brazil at the time.

Starting September 2023, vessels such as large cargo ships and tankers can be supplied in the anchorage area of the Port of Itaqui in São Marcos Bay (MA).

Photo credit: Raízen
Published: 4 October, 2024

Business

Rahim Oberholtzer named as new Infineum Chief Financial and Strategy Officer

Oberholtzer, a finance executive with over 25 years of experience, joins Infineum from Shell, where he has held various senior positions including Senior Vice President of Shell Finance for Chemicals and Products.

Published

18 hours ago

October 4, 2024

Admin

Rahim Oberholtzer named as new Infineum Chief Financial and Strategy Officer

International fuel additives company Infineum on Thursday (3 October) announced the appointment of Mr. Rahim Oberholtzer as the new Chief Financial and Strategy Officer, effective 1 October.

Oberholtzer will succeed Mr. Philippe Creteur, who has retired at the end of September 2024, after 18 years of dedicated service to Infineum.

Oberholtzer, a seasoned finance executive with over 25 years of diverse experience, joins Infineum from Shell, where he has held various senior positions. His most recent role was Senior Vice President of Shell Finance for Chemicals and Products.

During his career, Oberholtzer has acquired extensive expertise in public accounting, investment banking, and trading. He began his professional journey at KPMG in San Francisco as an auditor. He then moved on to Merrill Lynch, focusing on mergers and acquisitions and equity offerings within the energy sector, ultimately serving as Head of Structured Finance at Merrill Lynch Commodities.

In 2011, he joined Shell’s Mergers and Acquisitions team in the U.S., leading key projects such as the launch of Shell Midstream Partners and the Eagle Ford divestment. He subsequently managed finance teams in Trading & Supply, covering European Gas & Power, Global Crude, and Global Products & Operations.

Infineum CEO Aldo Govi, said: “We are deeply grateful for Philippe’s years of dedication and excellent contribution to Infineum. At the same time, I am thrilled to welcome Rahim to our corporate leadership team.”

Photo credit: Infineum
Published: 4 October, 2024