The Vitol-owned delivery vessel Marine ISTA has completed what Karachi Port Trust (KPT) has described as the largest bunkering operation in the port’s history, supplying 4,900 metric tonnes of fuel to the container vessel MSC Apollo on 13 April.

According to KPT, the vessel made a bunker-only call at the port area for the operation.

The port authority said the milestone reflects stronger capability among KPT and its stakeholders to handle large vessels for bunkering and supports Karachi’s development as a bunkering hub.

KPT added that the growth of this market would provide a significant boost to Pakistan’s refinery and maritime sectors.

Back in November, Vitol Bunkers reported that the 8,722-dwt Marine Ista was the first bunker barge to load directly from Karachi Port Trust Oil Pier (instead of via trucks) and supply the largest VLSFO stem to date at the time to a vessel owned and operated by MSC at DP World Port Qasim Authority. The fuel was produced at Pakistan’s largest refinery, Cnergyico, from the first US crude oil, delivered by Vitol, to be refined in Pakistan.

In February, Vitol Bunkers commenced high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) supply operations in Pakistan, marking the first availability of the fuel grade in the country since 2020, adding HSFO to its existing very-low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) and low-sulphur marine gas oil (LSMGO) offerings in Pakistan.

Marine Ista, which has the capacity to supply up to 6,800 metric tonnes of marine fuel, performs deliveries in Karachi Port, Port Qasim, and Karachi Anchorage.