Marcus Hook News

Dallas-based Energy Transfer said Tuesday it had loaded the first Very Large Ethane Carrier (VLEC) - the world's largest at that -  under its previously announced joint venture with Satellite Petrochemical USA Corp. called Orbit Gulf Coast NGL Exports.The Seri Everest, the world’s largest VLEC, departed from JV Orbit’s newly constructed export facilities at Energy Transfer’s Nederland Terminal in Nederland, Texas, on Jan. 17, 2021, to complete its maiden voyage.The vessel was loaded with more than 911…

U.S. liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) exports have grown year-over-year by 22% to 22.5 million tons year-to-date (YTD) and Middle East exports have grown on the same basis 3.5% to 22.6 million tons, said Dorian LPG.For the first time, U.S. and Middle East volumes were equal, said the owner and operator of modern very large gas carriers (VLGCs)."Our expectation is that the U.S. exports will grow faster than those from the Middle East. U.S. propane inventories continue to push towards the higher-end of their 5-year range, having reached 80 million barrels on July 26th, 21.4% higher than last year, which was almost equal to the percentage increase in exports," it said.North American export capacity continues to expand, further supporting global LPG trade.

North American liquefied petroleum gas  (LPG) export capacity is forecast to grow considerably over the next two years, said Dorian LPG.According to the LPG shipping company, bolstered by additional volumes out of Marcus Hook in the northeast U.S. due to the startup of the Mariner East 2 pipeline, U.S. exports reached their highest levels for the first calendar quarter of 2019 in January with over 3 million metric tons of LPG exported during the month.However, significant reductions in U.S. exports were seen during the rest of the first calendar quarter of 2019 due to closure events in the Houston ship channel.Additionally, there was tightness in the East due to a reduction in Middle Eastern supply related to OPEC production cuts and U.S. sanctions on Iran.

The biggest market change in the fourth calendar quarter of 2018, was the decline in crude oil prices, with Brent falling from a monthly average of nearly $82/barrel in October, finishing the year below $51 per barrel. As a result, global  liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)prices followed the downward trend.Dorian LPG, the Stamford-based owner and operator of 22 very-large gas carriers, said that without the additional LPG cargoes out of Marcus Hook from Mariner East 2, which started operations in January 2019, U.S. exports remained similar to the third calendar quarter of 2018, if not slightly lower.Total LPG exports from the U.S. are estimated at 32.8 million metric tons for the full year, up nearly 10% year-over-year.

Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay President Dennis Rochford has announced the tristate port vessel arrival statistics for the first six months of 2016. “On top of last year’s increase in vessel arrivals over 2014 activity, we continue to see steady growth through the first six months of 2016,” Rochford said. According to Maritime Exchange records, 1,234 ships arrived at Delaware River port facilities compared to 1,127 arrivals for the same six-month period last year, a 9.5% increase in vessel activity throughout the port.

Global liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) export volumes for the calendar 2015 reached 80 million metric tons, an 11 percent increase over the previous year. U.S. LPG exports alone reached a record of nearly 21 million metric tons, which is a 50 percent increase over the previous year. The U.S. became the largest LPG exporter in the world, accounting for 25 percent of the global seaborne export volumes, which were shipped to Central and South America, Asia, and Europe and the Mediterranean at about 43 percent, 29 percent and 26 perecnt, respectively. The strong LPG export volumes from the U.S. Gulf and in particular large cargo movements (on VLGC vessels) from West to East have increased ton-miles for the segment Dorian LPG has focused on and has supported shipping demand for VLGC vessels.

Dorian LPG Ltd. a leading owner and operator of modern very large gas carriers, today reported its financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2015. John Hadjipateras, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The third quarter was an extremely busy period for Dorian as we took the delivery of seven new Eco-design VLGCs. Our cash flow generated from operations has allowed us to repurchase an additional 480,231 shares of our common stock for $5.8 million over the quarter under the board's previously announced authorization to repurchase up to $100 million on or before December 31, 2016. Going forward, we anticipate higher profits and cash generated from operations as a result of our larger fleet, assuming continued favorable market conditions.

The Coast Guard will be enforcing a safety zone within the waters of the Delaware River, from Marcus Hood, Pennsylvania, north to Eddystone, Pennsylvania until March 15, 2016. The safety zone will cover all navigable waters in the Delaware River within 500 yards of vessels and machinery conducting rock blasting, dredging, and rock removal operations. This zone is intended to protect personnel, vessels and the marine environment in these navigable waters while operations are being conducted. Entry into, transiting, or anchoring within the safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP), Delaware Bay, or his designated representative.

Evergas has reached an agreement with INEOS to expand its new-building series of ethane/multigas vessels from six to eight units. In January 2013, Evergas announced for the first time that it had secured shipping agreements of up to 15 years with INEOS for the worlds’ first transatlantic shipments of ethane with commencement in 2015. The fleet of eight vessels will bring US ethane from shale gas to INEOS’ manufacturing sites in Grangemouth, Scotland and Rafnes, Norway. This advantageously priced feedstock will have a highly positive impact for the company’s European operations that so far have relied on declining and expensive volumes from the North Sea. Furthermore it will support the company’s longevity of being a leading and cost-efficient petrochemical producer.

Navigator Holdings Ltd. announced today that it has signed a long term shipping agreement for one of its 35,000 cubic meter ethylene/ethane capable semi-refrigerated liquefied gas carriers, currently being built at Jiangnan Shipyard, China. The ten year time charter has been agreed with Borealis, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers. The charter, which is planned to commence in late 2016, will transport ethane from the Marcus Hook terminal operated by Sunoco Logistics to Borealis’ cracker in Stenungsund, Sweden.

The safety zone around dredging operations in Marcus Hook Range in the Delaware River remains in effect until on or about February 28, 2014. The Dredge ESSEX has transitioned to the downriver portion of Marcus Hook Range, south of the Sunoco Marcus Hook Refinery, to complete dredging operations. The safety zone includes all waters within a 150 yards radius of the Dredge ESSEX and all related dredging equipment. Vessels requesting to transit Marcus Hook Range shall contact the Dredge ESSEX on VHF channel 13 or 16, 30 minutes prior to arrival. Vessels shall then transit around the dredge project, utilizing the downriver portion of the Marcus Hook Anchorage below Sunoco Marcus Hook Refinery, while operating at the minimum safe speed necessary to maintain steerage and reduce wake.

International classification society Bureau Veritas is classing the world’s largest bilobe gas tanks. They are nearing completion at China’s Sinopacific yard and will be installed in a series of four 27,500 cu m semi-refrigerated LNG/Ethylene carriers building for Denmark’s Evergas. Each of the IMO Type C bilobe tanks has a capacity of 9,686 cu m. Two of the tanks in each vessel will be supplemented by a third conical Type C cargo tank and a smaller LNG fuel tank on the deck of the vessels.

FMC Commissioner William P. The Panama Canal may remake world trade patterns. To be finished in 2015, the $5-billion expansion of the Panama Canal will create a third lane accommodating mega-ships nearly three times larger than previously passable and this may significantly reduce shipping time to Asia. The expansion impacts state ports, rail lines, trucking and cargo movement from the south and east to the west. The U.S., once an importer of natural gas, could see new shale gas development, LNG projects, and the faster shipping lanes open new Asian markets.

Governor Edward G. Rendell hailed the signing of a historic agreement that will officially begin a five-year, $379 million project to deepen the ’s shipping channel, calling it a major milestone in ongoing efforts to expand commerce and enhance economic development in the region. The partnership agreement between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) represents a significant step forward in a 15-year effort to deepen the river’s shipping channel. The agreement was signed by Assistant Secretary of the Army John Paul Woodley Jr. and PRPA Chairman John H. Estey. “I consider this to be the most important project in the history of the ,” said Governor Rendell.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientific support team has projected that tar balls and scattered patches of oil could be washing ashore at anytime along the northern Atlantic shoreline of Delaware and the southern Atlantic shoreline of New Jersey. Patches of oil have been seen from the Tacony Palymyra Bridge to south of Smyrna River on the Delaware River. Tar balls were also found yesterday in the C&D Canal in Maryland. Residents of these areas can expect to see tar balls, but not in high numbers. The ATHOS I has been temporarily moved to the Marcus Hook Anchorage. It's next destination will be a graving dock at the Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia to repair the holes in the hull.