Clean tankers in the east of Suez may see some cancelled cargoes or loading delays in the wake of a fire last week at one of the largest refineries in the Middle East.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) was forced to shut down half the capacity of the Ruwais refinery after the fire. Ruwais, which expanded in 2015, is one of the largest export-oriented refineries in the region, processing 800,000 barrels per day of crude oil.
With Ruwais down, clean product exports are taking a hit. Along with diesel and gasoline cargoes going to local markets, the outage will also hit jet fuel exports to Europe and naphtha cargoes to Asia
Consultancy Energy Aspects says one diesel and one jet fuel cargo for late January loading have been cancelled. The Ruwais fire may mean Adnoc has to "import more gasoline and reduce exports of naphtha, jet and diesel."
AIS tracking shows the Mitsui-owned 75,000-dwt Magic Victoria (built 2012) is currently en route to Ruwais. Fixture reports link it to a charter from Emirates National Oil to bring jet fuel to the Dubai port of Jebel Ali.
The Sinokor-owned 110,000-dwt Pacific A Dorodchi (built 2016) is also shown as en route to Ruwais. The ship was last linked to a Shell charter for a naphtha cargo to the Far East.
Other ships listing Ruwais as destination include the Cosco- owned Tao Lin Wan (built 2012), with its last charter from Formosa Petrochemical for naphtha to Japan, and the Abu Dhabi National Tanker-owned 75,000-dwt Diyyinah 1 (built 2009).
