Vitol expands China bunkering operations to include top container port

SINGAPORE: Vitol Bunkers has begun offering marine refuelling services at the world’s busiest container ship port, Shanghai’s Yangshan, along with its partner Zhejiang Seaport International Trading Co Ltd, it said on Wednesday.

“This is a very important location, especially with Vitol Bunkers currently expanding (its) global bunkering footprint,” a Vitol spokesperson told Reuters.

Vitol Bunkers, a unit of the world’s largest commodity trading firm, and its partner have deployed two dedicated bunker barges at Yangshan Port, Vitol Bunkers said in a statement on Wednesday.

Bunkers, or marine fuels, it offers at Yangshan will mainly consist of very-low sulphur fuel oil to container lines, but can also include high-sulphur fuel oil and marine gasoil, a Vitol spokesman said.

The expansion adds to the two companies’ existing bunkering operations in Zhoushan, China’s main bunkering hub, and Ningbo, where they are ranked among the top five suppliers, the spokesperson said. China is taking advantage of its booming maritime trade and massive refining capacity to undercut rivals from Singapore to South Korea and become the world’s fastest-growing major marine fuel hub.