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Australian bunker firm International Bunker Supplies Pty. Ltd. (IBS) estimates that its bunker delivery vessel MV Larcom will be back in service at the port of Gladstone by the beginning of July.

Speaking to Bunker Index, Chief Executive Officer Mark Patman confirmed that the 2,000 dwt MV Larcom is currently out of service after having entered dry dock on Monday 20th June. The company expects the self-propelled bunkering barge to be operating again on Monday July 4th.

Patman added that maintenance work was also being carried out at the QAL South Trees East pipeline berth to coincide with the dry-docking of the MV Larcom. The work is scheduled to be completed by Friday 24th June.

Once maintenance work at the pipeline berth is completed, IBS may be able to bunker vessels via pipeline at the QAL South Trees East berth, however this would have to be assessed on a case by case basis and would be subject to berth availability and the berth owner’s approval.

Truck deliveries may be possible for small quantities but will be subject to truck availability and access to the relevant berth.

Melbourne-based IBS had been informing its customers of the planned dry-docking of the MV Larcom since the start of March. The company had originally planned for the dry-docking to take place between 23rd May and 6th June.

The MV Larcom has a heavy fuel oil (HFO) capacity of 1587 metric tonnes and a marine diesel oil (MDO) capacity of 235 metric tonnes. The vessel is fitted with two Houttuin cargo pumps with a HFO pumping capacity of 2 x 250 cubic metres per hour. For MDO, the barge has one electric-driven Houttuin DO cargo pump with a pumping rate of 80 cubic metres per hour.