The current bunkering operations in Algoa Bay are putting Port Elizabeth in a strong position to be a gas bunkering facility to cater for liquid natural gas-powered vessels, according to Sobantu Tilayi, acting chief executive officer of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa). Speaking at a hastily convened media conference in Port Elizabeth last week to address concerns after a fuel spill during a ship-to-ship transfer operation led to the oiling of a large number of endangered penguins and gannets, Tilayi said Port Elizabeth was well positioned geographically for the offshore bunkering of vessels plying the south-south routes and passing the Cape of Good Hope. Samsa approved bunkering operations off Algoa Bay in 2016 in response to demand from shipping lines. Vessels were able to carry more cargo if they could refuel on the way, he said. Samsa was receiving regular requests for permission to allow ad-hoc refuelling off the South African coast, and it was decided that formalising the operations would allow better control. Regulations and monitoring have been tightened since the operations started, and as a result the volumes have dropped. In the 2018/2019 financial year there were 917 ship-to-ship transfers of a total of 459 243 bunker tons (compared to 578 000 bunker tons in the previous financial year). Demand is expected to increase as vessels switch to lighter fuels and gas in order to meet global emission limits. Gas-powered vessels, he said, did not have the range of conventional heavy oil-fuelled vessels, which meant that they would be forced to refuel en route. Port Elizabeth has been identified by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) as a natural gas hub, together with Richards Bay. At present there are three companies licensed to refuel vessels off Algoa Bay – Aegean (which received the first licence), South African Marine Fuels (SAMF) and, most recently, Colt Marine. There are now more than 60 vessels involved in bunkering operating in Algoa Bay. This activity has seen the number of ships agents in Port Elizabeth grow from three in 2016 to 29. During the last financial year there were 1 200 crew changes.
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