Cepsa Takes Delivery of Bunker Barge
Spanish shipbuilder Zamakona said October 25 it has delivered a new multi-product bunkering ship to its Spanish shipowner Suardiaz and charterer Cepsa.
‘Bunker Breeze’ is 86 meters long by 17 meters long and weighs 5,250 tons (see photo courtesy of Zamakona).
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The vessel has capacity for ten heavy fuel oil (HFO) or marine diesel tanks, alongside four LNG tanks. Its handover took place at the Santurtzi shipyard last week in the Basque region of northern Spain. Zamakona said it is the third ship that it had built for Suardiaz, and that the bunkering barge will begin operations in the southern Spanish port of Algeciras in early November.
It will mark the first time that Cepsa, Spain's second largest refining company, will supply LNG as a bunker fuel to customers - despite being a leading bunker fuel supplier in mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. Cepsa and Suardiaz first announced their plans for the multi-product bunkering barge two years ago.
More restructuring for Exmar
In other news, Belgian shipowner Exmar said October 29 it has successfully closed the refinancing of its pressurised LPG [liquid petroleum gas] fleet with Japanese owners, in the form of a sale and lease back deal. Five pressurised vessels were delivered October 29, with two more to be delivered in December 2018 and the remaining three in March 2019.
The refinancing will generate $60mn of free cash to Exmar, the shipowner said. It’s part of a major restructuring of the company which late last year divested its 50% interest in four large FSRUs (floating LNG import terminals) to US co-owner Excelerate for $70mn, but last week announced it is facing fresh losses in 2018 and stalled projects.