Boost for Sohar’s Offshore Bunkering Services

Sohar Port and Freezone’s main independent supplier of bunkering services has expanded its offshore refuelling operations for ships calling at the Omani port, with the addition of a 6,000 megaton barge to its fleet.

Omanoil Matrix Marine Services LLC, a joint venture between Germany’s Matrix Marine Holding and Oman Oil, has also announced plans to offer ex-pipe fuel deliveries to the port’s main liquid bulk terminal.

As part of the new service a 500 cubic metre gasoil barge will extend the company’s refuelling reach to all areas of the port, increasing efficiency and streamlining ship movements within the port.

Existing services, which include providing ships with industry standard RMG 380 and marine gas oil fuels, will be streamlined, and Sohar Executive Commercial Manager Edwin Lammers has welcomed the news, as the port continues to align its US$15 billion marine infrastructure with that of Muscat’s 40-year old Port Sultan Qaboos.

“MXO are one of the leading providers of refuelling services and have built a global network of operations in Houston, Singapore, India, and Oman. The addition of intermediate fuel oil and gasoil barges to their fleet will give us a tremendous boost and we are naturally delighted they have chosen to do so,” he said.

MXO’s international team established operations at Sohar in 2010 and after more than 12 years in the region, a spokesperson for MXO said that it plans to extend operations at SOHAR even further.

This will include ex-pipe fuel deliveries that will be provided through an exclusive 43,000cbm storage agreement with the Port’s liquid bulk terminal, managed by Oiltanking Odfjell.

“Our sister organisation Matrix Marine Fuels L.P. has been offering bunker services for over 12 years and we fully intend to continue growing, especially at SOHAR,” a spokesperson for MXO said.

Matrix Marine Holding is a subsidiary of Mabanaft, the trading division of Marquard & Bahls, in Hamburg. Meanwhile, MXO is the sole physical supplier of fuel oil to ships calling at Sohar Port and Freezone.

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Press Release, August 27, 2014