Total Marine Fuels has started delivering low-sulphur bunkers by barge from its Donges refinery for the port of St Nazaire/Montoir, in France.
Total has been supplying low-sulphur bunkers in the St Nazaire region for more than a year, but until now deliveries have only been available by truck. “In response to demand from our customers,” explains Pinharanda, “we decided to invest in the new barge facility.”
David Bleasdale, General Manager of Total Marine Fuels, says, “Total continues to invest in new products and services on a wide scale, with the emphasis where necessary on the need to supply low-sulphur fuels to key markets. Although St Nazaire/Montoir is actually outside the new SECA II, we are responding to the demands of our customers for availability of low-sulphur fuel before they enter the English Channel
“Elsewhere, we are working towards offering low-sulphur fuel in Fos/Lavera next year, while CEPSA, where Total is a significant shareholder, is ready to offer it now in Algeciras. Zeebrugge, meanwhile, is a big success story for Total. By investing in new barges and storage, we are increasing volumes – mainly of low-sulphur – considerably. And at Dunkirk we have been supplying low-sulphur bunkers for over two years, so have accumulated valuable experience of many of the operational issues involved in delivering low-sulphur fuels by barge and truck.
“We have had low-sulphur available for over a year in Hamburg by barge and truck, and at Brunsbüttel, on the Kiel Canal, by pipe. We are ready to offer low-sulphur in Antwerp, and in the UK we have availabilities by pipe and barge at Immingham/Humber River. We are also currently constructing a new tank in Le Havre specifically for low-sulphur bunkers, which will be available next year.”