Pakistan has received its largest-ever single shipment of very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), marking a major step forward in the country’s ability to supply environmentally compliant marine fuel. The delivery was made jointly by global commodities trader Vitol and Pakistan’s largest oil refiner, Cnergyico, the company said in a statement on Monday.
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The development is expected to significantly boost Pakistan’s bunker fuel market, allowing large vessels refuelling in the country to sail longer east-west routes without additional stops. It also strengthens Pakistan’s domestic supply of low-sulphur fuel that meets International Maritime Organisation (IMO) standards, reducing the need for foreign sourcing.
Cnergyico produced the VLSFO after receiving its first US crude oil cargoes earlier this year. The shipment was supplied to a vessel operated by global shipping giant MSC at Port Qasim, using the Singapore-flagged bunker barge Marine Ista, which can deliver up to 6,800 metric tons of marine fuel in a single operation.
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This was also the first time a bunker barge loaded fuel directly from the Karachi Port Trust’s Oil Pier, bypassing the usual truck-to-barge supply chain. The companies said the move would streamline refuelling operations and improve efficiency at the port.
Cnergyico will continue supplying Vitol with cleaner marine fuel as part of their collaboration. Vitol has announced new bunker supply points in Pakistan, including Karachi Port, Port Qasim and Karachi Anchorage, as it expands its footprint in the regional shipping fuel market.
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