Iran launches first offshore bunkering service
TEHRAN, June 26 (Reuters) - Iran has launched its first offshore bunkering
service at an anchorage south of the Qeshm island free trade zone in the
Gulf, a Qeshm official said on Monday.
Singapore-based Global Energy provides the services in cooperation with
the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) and National Iranian Oil Company
(NIOC).
Ahmad Hakim, a senior official in Qeshm, told Reuters that the floating
anchorage, set up nine miles (15 kilometers) southwest of Qeshm, had begun
its services earlier this month, having already fuelled several international
tankers.
Located near the main shipping lanes in the Gulf, the new anchorage
has a capacity of four billion tonnes.
Hakim said services would remain on a small scale until more business
is attracted.
He said the island planned to offer other shipping services such as
food and water delivery and those for crew change.
Qeshm is Iran's main free trade island launched in the early 1990s to
attract foreign investment and accelerate non-oil exports.
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