Associated British Ports (ABP) has opened a third berth at its Immingham oil terminal on the U.K.'s River Humber to speed import and export turnarounds for two nearby refineries.
ABP said the new berth will increase terminal capacity by 20%.
Last year 16.5 million metric tons of crude oil, petrochemicals, and feedstocks passed through Immingham.
The expansion was financed by ABP, along with Conoco (U.K.) Ltd., which runs the 130,000 b/d South Killingholme refinery, and Total Oil Great Britain Ltd. and Fina plc, which operate the adjacent 182,000 b/d Lindsey refinery.
ABP spent 14 million ($21 million) on the new berth, while the refiners spent 424 million ($6 million) on pipelines, pump systems, and connections from the new berth to the plants.
The new berth can handle tankers as large as 80,000 dwt. The two other berths can take vessels as large as 290,000 dwt. Four small berths can handle coastal vessels up to 6,000 dwt.
Crude oil and feedstocks come to Immingham largely from the North Sea and Middle East. Fuel oil, gasoline, petroleum spirit, kerosine, and diesel fuel are mainly shipped to U.K. and other European ports.
Stuart Bradley, ABP managing director, said the need for a third berth was envisaged when the terminal was built in the late 1960s.
The agreement with the refiners will allow a fourth berth to be added.
Copyright 1994 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
