Thu 7 May 2020, 10:56 GMT

Bunker One channels 'entrepreneurial spirit' with expansions


Supply portfolio strengthened in US Gulf, Caribbean and West Africa.


Bunker One logo.
Image: Bunker Holding
Bunker One has announced the expansion of its supply portfolio in the US Gulf, Caribbean and West Africa.

In the US Gulf, the company is doubling its capacity on the water with the deployment of the MT Furuholmen. The new tanker joins the MT Barbarica, which began performing deliveries for Bunker One off the Texas and Louisiana coastlines back in October 2018.

In the Caribbean, meanwhile, Bunker One is strengthening its presence with the addition of the MT Lillo Swan, which is now stationed in Trinidad.

The MT Waltz is to also be repositioned to the Caribbean, Bunker One said.

Commenting on the news, Georgia Kounalakis, managing director of Bunker One (Gulf of Mexico), remarked: "Our core business is marine fuels - and we take pride in maintaining our high standards of operation[,] which is of great importance to support and minimise our customers' concerns these days as they navigate uncharted waters. Relationships matter at Bunker One and we are here to stay the course."

CEO Peter Zachariassen observed: "In a climate of uncertainty and tightening credit[,] we are leveraging our strong liquidity and expanding our operational reach to meet our customers' requirements. The current downtrend in the market is not effecting our entrepreneurial spirit, and we continue to execute on our strategy for growth looking for more business opportunities at a global scale."

Building on West African expansion

Earlier this year, Bunker One launched a supply operation in West Africa, and during the first few months the company says it "performed very well[,] experiencing strong commitment from its customers and business partners".

The company is now expanding its vessel portfolio further with the addition of the MT Enford, thereby taking the total number of tankers operating in the region to three.

All three tankers are said to be 'high-spec' and fully retrofitted as bunker vessels.

"With three fully equipped and fully operational tankers in the area, Bunker One will cover the major shipping lanes supplying vessels going east-west via the Horn in addition to the traffic in and around the West African Coast. HSFO, VLSFO and MGO will be available on the full stretch of the African coast," the supplier said.


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