Page 12 - LatAmOil Week 33

LatAmOil PANAMA LatAmOil

Both Atlantic and Pacific fueling facilities saw sales drop in July (Image: Panama Marine Chamber)
The agency noted that Pacific coast facilities 3,039 tonnes of HSFO, down 96.4% from 83,985
had provided customers with 292,268 tonnes tonnes in July 2019; 570 tonnes of MGO, down
of marine fuels in the month of July, down by 90.8% from 6,183 tonnes, and 6,749 tonnes of
25.5% on the year-ago figure of 392,307 tonnes. LSMGO, up 204.4% from 1,669 tonnes. It also
The total included some 38,997 tonnes of included 37,409 tonnes of VLSFO, which was
high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO), down 88.9% not available at Panama’s Atlantic ports last year.
from 350,574 tonnes in July 2019; 9,648 tonnes AMP did not comment on the factors under-
of marine gasoil (MGO), down 74.3% from lying the y/y drop in marine fuel sales. Presum-
37,510 tonnes, and 19,603 tonnes of low-sulphur ably, though, volumes were affected by the
marine gasoil (LSMGO), up by 264.2% from coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has
4,223 tonnes. It also included 221,020 tonnes of caused a decline in shipping traffic and demand
very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), a product for marine fuels.
that was not available at Panama’s Pacific ports At the same time, another factor was at work
in 2019. – namely, the introduction of new fuel quality
The agency also reported that Atlantic coast standards by the International Marine Organi-
facilities had supplied a total of 47,767 tonnes sation (IMO) at the beginning of the year. These
of marine fuels in July, down by 47.99% on the new specifications, known as IMO 2020, limit
year-ago figure of 91,837 tonnes. This included sulphur content to 0.5%. They have caused

VENEZUEL A
National Assembly seeks info on oil spill

VENEZUELA’S National Assembly has Falcón State, where fishing is an important
demanded information on an oil spill that has economic activity, is bounded to the west by the
washed up on the country’s shores. Gulf of Venezuela and to the north by the Car-
The slick, which contains large amounts of ibbean Sea. Most of Venezuela’s oil is refined in
crude, appeared in Falcón State in north-west- Falcón, particularly at large refineries at Amuay
ern Venezuela. It was first spotted on August 2. and Cardon, and then exported by tanker.
Environmentalists have warned that the According to Josué Lorca, Venezuela’s Minis-
oil could damage wetlands if it continues to ter for Eco-socialism, some 90% of the spilled oil
spread from the sea to the coast, according to a has already been cleared up with the help of vol-
BBC report. Photos show that certain beaches unteers. Lorca, a member of President Nicolás
in Morrocoy National Park have already been Maduro’s cabinet, did not say how big the oil
affected, the report added. spill is or what may have caused it.

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 33 19•August•2020