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Chilean supply firm Copec Marine Fuels will again be calling on the bunker tanker Tamina to deliver fuel to cruise ships during the summer season, which kicked off in October and runs until March.

The double-hull Tamina will mainly operate at the southern ports of Puerto Williams, Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas, carrying out deliveries of low-sulphur marine gas oil (MGO).

The Ice-class vessel has a total storage capacity of approximately 1,500 cubic metres (cbm). Built in 1979, the tanker has a length overall (LOA) of 67.5 metres and a breadth extreme of 10.62 metres; its maximum pumping rate is 350 cbm per hour.

Located at the southern tip of Chile, Puerto Williams is a refuelling point used by cruise vessels sailing to Ushuaia, the Antarctic, the Falklands, Punta Arenas, and Puerto Montt, amongst other locations. Cruise ships that are less than 150 metres in length are able to bunker at berth, whilst those with a length greater than 150 metres are able to refuel at four anchorage points at the port.

Summer is the main season of the year for Copec in Punta Arenas, Puerto Williams and Puerto Montt. It takes around 28 hours to navigate between Punta Arenas and Puerto Williams, whilst the Argentinian port of Ushuaia is located just 40 kilometres from Puerto Williams.

At the time of writing, the Tamina is currently located at Puerto Montt, according to vessel-tracking data.

Image: The bunker tanker Tamina. Credit: Copec Marine Fuels.