Page 14 - DMEA Week 12 2021
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DMEA TERMINALS & SHIPPING DMEA
Tunisia reviewing regulations
governing Skhira oil terminal
AFRICA TUNISIA’S Transport and Logistics Minister instructed the Office of the Merchant Marine
Moez Chakchouk reported last week on the sta- and Ports (OMMP) “to clarify the legal aspects
tus of efforts to determine the fate of the Skhira relating to the operation of this port and to allow
oil terminal. the company to operate it as part of a new con-
In a speech to members of the country’s cession,” he said. He did not say when this review
Parliament, Chakchouk noted that officials in was likely to be completed or what the govern-
Tunis were reviewing regulations that related ment might do with the terminal.
to the management of the terminal, which was According to previous reports, Tunisia’s gov-
awarded to the Sahara Pipeline Transport Com- ernment has announced plans to draw up a new
pany (TRAPSA) under a concession agreement master plan for the operation and development
in 1958. of the Skhira facility.
The concession originally had a term of 50 The terminal handles crude oil from fields in
years and was supposed to expire in 2008, but Tunisia and south-eastern Algeria.
Tunisia’s government has not taken any steps to It covers an area of 20 square km and is capa-
renew it or find a new operator, he explained. ble of berthing two oil tankers and one chemical
In the meantime, though, Tunis has tanker at a time.
P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 12 25•March•2021
