New tanker transforming the Panama Canal bunker industry

March 11, 2021

In a pioneering tanker move, Monjasa enables outer anchorage bunker supplies off Cristobal. This means significantly less idle time for larger ships taking bunkers in the Panama Canal.

Global oil and shipping group Monjasa brings MT Monjasa Supplier (8,839-dwt) from Dubai to Panama to further sustain the attractiveness of Panama as a leading global shipping hub.

Monjasa Supplier is already in full operation supplying LSMGO and VLSFO, and for the first time the Panama Canal now sees feasible bunker only calls at Cristobal’s outer anchorage.

“Presenting modern bunkering options is an important contributor to an overall attractive global shipping hub.”

REDUCING IDLE TIME BY 24-48 HOURS PER TRANSIT

All ships transiting the Panama Canal from Cristobal to Balboa are experiencing varying waiting time. However, while smaller vessels can use the time for taking bunkers, larger vessels exceeding inner anchorage restrictions do not have the same opportunity to optimise voyage costs. Instead, they have had to once again drop anchor to refuel upon arrival at Balboa.

Thus, compared to the existing local barge fleet, Monjasa Supplier’s rough weather capabilities makes a significant difference to shipping companies by reducing idle time by 24-48 hours.

RASMUS JACOBSEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, MONJASA AMERICAS:

“Presenting modern bunkering options is an important contributor to an overall attractive global shipping hub. Panama is a great historic shipping destination and as a local partner to the maritime community, Monjasa aims to strengthen operations and evolve the bunker industry by improving tonnage quality and flexibility around the Panama Canal.”

YOUNGER AND QUALITY-FOCUSED PANAMA FLEET

Against an average age of 32 years and an average size of 3,100-dwt on bunker barges in the Panama Canal, Monjasa Supplier (built 2010) joins her sister vessel, MT Accra, which is already operated by Monjasa at Balboa. Together, they now represent the two largest and most modern tankers in Panama, including onboard segregation of several fuel types matching post-IMO 2020 quality demand.

In total, Monjasa manages four vessels in the Panama Canal and currently ranks as one of the largest marine fuels suppliers in Panama. In 2019, Monjasa supplied a total of 1,150,000 MTS of marine fuels across the Americas.