• Oil and gas

Ship-to-ship success in Brazil

Fendercare Marine has secured the necessary licences to perform ship-to-ship transfer of oil off the coast of Brazil.

After three years of intensive and highly focused work from the Fendercare Marine team, two crucial licenses have been awarded by the environment agency IBAMA and the Brazilian Navy.

The licences, signed in January 2015, give Fendercare Marine permission to operate ship-to-ship transfers in Brazilian territorial waters in the Santos Basin – the site of significant Brazilian oil fields. This means Fendercare Marine is now very well placed to capitalise on the growth in production of Brazilian crude over the next five to 10 years.

Richard Wilson, James Fisher’s country manager for Brazil, says,

‘This is a huge opportunity for us. Projected oil output is expected to double in the next five years and very significant volumes of oil will need to be lightered (transferred between vessels of different sizes) and trans-shipped. Because there is a very limited refining capacity in Brazil, much of the extracted oil has to be exported and now Fendercare Marine is ideally placed to help.’

It’s an LNG STS first in Gibraltar:

Although Fendercare Marine has been providing STS services to the oil and gas industry globally (with an environment impact rate that is second to none) since 1995, earlier this year it made a landmark first STS transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the port of Gibraltar. 

The 12-hour transfer took place between a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) and an LNG carrier, under the watchful eye of the Gibraltar Port Authority (GPA). 

Three years ago, the team at Fendercare Marine had met with the GPA to discuss the possibility of future LNG STS action in the area, and over the intervening years, have worked with the local authorities to establish better knowledge of such transfers and the safety measures in place. Because of this, when an enquiry came in for a possible LNG STS transfer in the region, the GPA was happy to work with Fendercare Marine and provided the necessary approval. 

The first LNG STS exchange in Gibraltar was a great success, and Fendercare Marine is now equipped to support future projects like this worldwide. According to Elizabeth Skinner, operations director at Fendercare Marine, the company has identified a potential market for LNG STS at a time when greater quantities of LNG are being shipped, as countries around the world move further towards cleaner fuels.

‘The growth of the LNG market over recent years has been huge. There are 10s of projects in the feasibility/consultation and build stage globally and this will only increase as more countries turn to a cleaner source of power to import.

‘The scope of marine services and equipment supply at Fendercare Marine means we are able to support these projects through each stage of design and ship build through to assisting operations when the vessels come into service,’

she adds.  

The Captain of the Gibraltar Port, Commodore Bob Sanguinetti adds,

‘This reinforces our leading role as a premier bunker port offering the widest possible range of marine services.’

Celebrating 20 years of ship-to-ship:

As one of the world’s foremost suppliers of marine products and services, Fendercare Marine is celebrating 20 years of successful and safe ship-to-ship transfers.

The operation has grown significantly since 1995 as clients have recognised the trading opportunities and logistical benefits of being able to transfer cargoes at any time and almost anywhere. 

Elizabeth Skinner, Fendercare Marine operations director says,

‘Our strategy today remains true to our original aims. When a customer identifies a regular requirement for STS, we will endeavour to identify a safe location, establish a base and provide the high standards of expertise, equipment and support for which we are well known.

‘The rapid growth in STS operations carried out worldwide demonstrates Fendercare Marine’s professional performance in carrying out these operations and reflects the trust placed in our STS superintendents by the world’s leading oil majors in protecting their valuable assets,’

she adds.