In September 2023, SARS suspended offshore bunkering after it detained five bunker barges over import duty disputes. The incident took place around mid-September and ships were diverted to other bunker ports nearby like Durban and Richards Bay, reports Engine.online.
Official statement not provided
By the end of September, offshore bunkering in Algoa Bay came to a complete halt. At that time, SARS did not provide an official statement regarding when bunkering might resume, but stated that investigations were ongoing.
Ports like Mozambique’s Nacala and Maputo as well as Durban and Cape Town witnessed a surge in demand as bunker buyers looked for alternative bunkering locations in the region.
A Lost Opportunity
While the Houthi attacks on commercial ships sailing the Red Sea began in November, shipping companies started rerouting vessels around mid-December. Commercial vessels avoided the Suez Canal transits and instead opted for the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope.
In April, SARS requested a second round of public feedback to its fresh amendments to the bunkering rules. The new draft incorporated amendments to rules regarding the storage of imported bunker fuel. The deadline for public comment was 10 May. No update on the offshore bunkering resumption was provided by the authority.
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Source: Engine.online
