Bunkering

Bunkering is an oil industry activity that does not have the high public profile of retail fuel stations or exploration and production, but is no less important.
Marine bunkering is the supply of fuel for ships (“Bunkers” is the term used in the shipping industry for the fuel oil consumed by ships whilst travelling from one destination to another).

A range of products and qualities are used for bunker fuel, with ships typically burning fuel oil in their main engines, and gasoil in their auxiliary engines and power generators.
Fuel can be loaded in 3 different ways, depending on the destination of the bunker material and the facilities available at the bunkering terminal:

• Where a ship requiring bunkering is unable to dock at the terminal, a barge, equipped with fenders, hoses and pumps, is used to bring the product alongside the ship for off-loading.
  
• If a ship is able to load directly from the bunkering depot, simple pipeline loading is possible.
  
• Sometimes, for small quantities, trucks are utilised to effect delivery.

Tamoil seeks to develop this business through supply agreements and by exploiting synergies within the Tamoil group, providing product availability and becoming a “physical supplier”.