Features: - Tanker Operator

INDUSTRY - GIBRALTAR REPORT
among others. In addition, Aegean recently
opened a bunker station at Tangier.
Ideal location
Mills described Gibraltar as the third busiest
bunker port in the world as the Rock is in the
ideal location for East/West, as well as
North/South traffic, which passes within a few
miles of the anchorages.
All grades are offered and Gibraltar is one
of the last bunker stops before a vessel arrives
in the European ECA area, thus low sulphur
fuel is now readily available. Once the new
VTS is up and running, bunkering operations
will be possible on both sides of the Rock –
weather permitting.
In addition to the two anchorages, OPL
calls are also handled regularly whereby a
vessel transiting the straits needing supplies,
crew change, medical assistance etc deviates
from the traffic separation zones and is
serviced from an agent’s boat while steaming
off the Rock at slow speed.
Since its inception about 18 years ago, the
bulk of RMS’ business is concerned with
agency work and a good percentage of this is
acting as charterers’ agents for vessels calling
at the anchorages.
The company offers a full agency service,
including bunker supplies, either at the
anchorages or alongside. Gasoil is normally
supplied from one of two jetties in the port,
which can handle vessels of up to 100 m in
length. Fresh water is also available by barge
or alongside, while security can be arranged,
especially for vessels, which have recently
called at North African ports, such as
LNGCs.
Another string to RMS’ bow is being able
to offer underwater inspections by diver,
while Gibraltar is also one of the world’s
largest suppliers of lube oils, either in drums,
or in bulk under an agreement with Shell.
The Cammell Laird shiprepair yard is also
very active and RMS offers a dockyard
agency service.
Third parties
Agency services on the Rock and in Algeciras
are split on the usage of supply boats. Some
like Rock Maritime Services own their boat,
while others like Inchcape Shipping Services
(ISS) lease boats from third parties, as and
when they are needed.
From its local base in Gibraltar, ISS has
been offering agency services, either direct or
by using a network of sub-agents, to the
whole of the Iberian Peninsular, Morocco
(Agadir, Casablanca and Tangier) and the
Atlantic Islands, including Cape Verde,
Azores, plus the Balearic Islands, for a
number of years.
A full agency service is offered and similar
to other companies spoken to by
TAKEROperator credit controls have been
tightened. At present, ISS has over 90% of its
costs pre-funded. Both operations and
financial control for the region is co-ordinated
through the ISS’ offices in Gibraltar and
Madrid, offering only one point of contact.
The largest client in Gibraltar in the tanker
sector in terms of port calls is Maersk/
Brostrom. AP Moller-Maersk has signed a
worldwide agency agreement with ISS.
Local operations manager Chris Linares and
finance manager Brian Gomila said that ISS
has had “…..a very good year, which
surpassed expectations.” They also said that
the forecast budget would be exceeded again
this year, for the second year running.
In Gibraltar, ISS has 12 staff having
increased the number of personnel on the
Rock and in Spain. Agency services in both
Gibraltar and Algeciras was now very “cut
November/December 2009 TANKEROperator 15