PortOils to Boost Bunker Industry in Cameroon

Cameroonian indigenous firm PortOils is looking to boost the West African country’s bunkering industry. In a release issued by the company, it said that its bunkering operation strategy provides a wide range of services, including a flexible and efficient system whereby marine fuels can be delivered by pipeline while lubricants can be supplied in bulk, drum, or can.

PortOils’ strategy ensures that vessels can be served without delay at the Douala seaport, around the clock, 365 days a year. According to PortOils, most of the local bunker suppliers do not have their own ex-pipe facility, and instead used the local road truck tankers to bunkering vessels.  

The company is acquiring a terminal storage space from the state run firm in charge of petroleum products storage – Société Camerounaise des Dépôts Pétroliers (SCDP) – located near the Deido fishery terminal, with 35,000 bpd of storage space for marine diesel and bunker fuel.

The company is also set to open a new bunker fuel storage terminal over the next year, which could bring significant benefits for the local bunkering industry. The new fuel storage terminal is scheduled to open in early-2013 and will have 12 oil tanks for marine diesel and bunker fuel.

The facility will offer both term and spot arrangements and the cost and time spent on moving local road truck tankers to bunkering ships will be a thing of the past.