Maersk partners Vopak in Rotterdam low sulphur bunkering facility

The facility at Vopak Terminal Europoort will allow Maersk to blend, store and handle different types of fuel to ensure a supply of compliant 0.5% low sulphur fuel. The facility will cater to around 20% of Maersk's global demand for marine fuel delivering 2.3m tonnes a year. The facility can also supply other interested third parties.

“We trust that this initiative will put to rest some of the concerns the industry has on fuel availability as well as secure our continued competitiveness in the market,” says Niels Henrik Lindegaard, head of Maersk Oil Trading.

The owner of the world's largest container line has opted for low sulphur fuel to meet the requirements of the IMO's 2020 global 0.5% sulphur cap for marine fuel rejecting scrubbers, which many owners of large vessels have opted for in recent months. Unlike rival CMA CGM the Danish shipowner has not chosen to order LNG-powered vessels as an option to meet the sulphur cap either.

While both scrubbers and LNG have attracted the interest of major names in the industry the majoirty of owners are expected to use low sulphur fuels to comply with the global cap from 1 January 2020.

“With AP Moller - Maersk as an anchor customer, Vopak demonstrates the focus to position itself in the 0,5% sulphur fuels bunker market. We are dedicated to serve our customers to comply with the IMO 2020 regulations in the key global bunker hubs around the world," said Hari Dattatreya, global oil director Royal Vopak.

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