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Bunkers International has announced the launch of its new double-hulled barge, Bocas Del Carare, at the Pacific coast port of Buenaventura, Colombia.

The new barge has dual product capacity and supports both high sulphur and low sulphur fuel oil. The Bocas del Carare construction was completed earlier this year and it is fully licensed to carry out deliveries at Buenaventura. The vessel is already in service and is said to have already completed a number of successful deliveries.

"Buenaventura is Colombia’s largest volume port, but it has long suffered from the lack of bunker barges,” said John Canal, CEO of Bunkers International. "The Bocas Del Carare has a 1000 metric tonne (mt) capacity. When we combine it with our other two barges of 650 mt and 400 mt, we now have the capacity to deliver in higher volumes to vessels calling in Buenaventura that are going trans-Asia and to North America."

Bunkers International has also announced the introduction of 380-centistoke (cst) low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) at Buenaventura. The product is said to have a typical sulphur content of 0.85 – 0.90% max, low metals, and a good CCAI (calculated carbon aromaticity index).

“We are very excited to be able to deliver this product in volume to help meet 2012 ECA requirements. This great new product is not only very low sulphur, but also meets all other specifications of ISO 8217: 2005 (E) and 2010, providing a high quality product with a viscosity more in line with what most vessels are set up to use,” commented Canal.

"We expect the LSFO to be competitive with all West Coast options," the company added.

The low sulphur product is ready for delivery. Enquiries for Buenaventura can be sent to bunkers@bunkersintl.com or to any of the company's sales offices worldwide.