Bunkering unit begins operation in Qeshm

TEHRAN, Jan. 28 (MNA) – The first phase of a bunkering facility came on stream in Salakh district of Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf. The facility to fill fuel containers of vessels was inaugurated in Qeshm at presence of Iranian Minister of Cooperatives, Labour and social welfare Ali Rabiei, Managing Director of Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) Mohammad Saeidi, Managing Director of the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) Sirus Kian Ersi as well as Managing Director of Qeshm Free Zone Organization Hamidreza Momeni. Plans have been already put on the agenda to lift up Iran’s negligible share in bunkering industry. The new project has been constructed with 10 vertical atmospheric tanks with IRISL, Qeshm Free Zone Organization, and NITC having 60, 25 and 15 per cent of the total share, respectively. Each tanker is able to contain 5260 tons of fuel giving a total capacity of 52,600 tons to phase one of the project which can provide ships with one million barrels per year. In following phases, the capacity of the project will gradually reach 100 thousand tons while, proportionate to the rise in activities, the figure will climb to 500 thousand and will ultimately hit 750 thousand tons. The strategic bunkering unit in Salakh district of Qeshm Island is considered as the largest bunkering hub along Iranian coasts and is expected to turn the country into a regional bunkering hub.