Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC)’s two ships have blazed recently, and there is no way to transport the fuel without hiring foreign ships.
The Single Point Mooring (SPM) system was inaugurated on November 14, 2023. But it has not started yet.
BPC does not know when the built pipeline at the cost of thousands of taka will be launched. Although the government took up the project in 2015 to stop oil transportation by lightening the sea route, the SPM system was launched at a cost of Tk 8 thousand 341 crore. Through this circular ring is installed at a point 16 km from Maheshkhali beach towards the sea. From that ring, two pipelines came under the sea to the storage in Kalarmarchhara area of Maheshkhali. From that storage, the oil is supposed to come to Patenga's Eastern Refinery through an underground pipeline near the coast of the sea. One of the two pipelines will carry diesel and the other will carry crude oil. A ship was first anchored in July last year to transport oil to the pipeline. Later last March, the pipeline stopped transporting oil again. It has been sitting idle ever since. No one from BPC can say for sure when it will start again. This information is known from sources related to BPC.
According to the relevant sources, the government has to go towards the privatization of oil transportation by sea as the transportation of fuel oil in the pipeline is stopped. That is why the government organization Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) has already hired a ship from a foreign company. And BPC is looking for vessels to transport oil in the interim. Because the refined and crude oils coming from Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi in mother vessels (large vessels) cannot enter Chittagong port after Qutubdia. Bangladesh Shipping Corporation's 'Banglar Jyoti' and 'Banglar Sourab' used to bring this oil to the Eastern Refinery in Patenga by lightering (small ships) from Kutubdia. But recently explosions and accidents rendered the oil transport system of the two vessels inoperable. Foreign vessels have now been hired to offload the oil from the mother vessel which is necessarily waiting at Qutubdia.
According to sources, under the Bangladesh Oil Tanker Owners Association, about 40 oil tanker ships are plying inland waterways, but they can transport a maximum of 1,500 tons. On the other hand, BSC ships used to transport around 11 to 12 thousand tons of oil. There are 120 petroleum oil tankers under another organization of Bangladesh Petroleum Tanker Owners Association for oil transportation in the country, but their maximum carrying capacity is about two thousand tons. But there are no oil tankers suitable for lightering in the country. In BSC it has to be chartered (hired) from outside the country. Then BSC will get the ship according to demand.
Sources also said that after the commissioning of SPM last year, once the pipeline brought oil from the deep sea port to Eastern Refinery via Maheshkhali. But regular discharge of oil from the mother vessel to SPM (piped to a point in the sea at Qutubdia. The process of bringing the oil through the bottom to Maheshkhali to the Eastern Refinery is called SPM) requires efficient management. For that, the contractor will be appointed. The contractor will complete the oil clearance work. And the BPC people will gradually learn the process of redemption from that contractor.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek said that BSC will transport oil in chartered ships until SPM (Single Point Mooring) is introduced.
On the other hand, regarding the operationalization of the pipeline, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation Director (Operation) Anupam Barua said that after the commissioning of the SPM last year, once oil was brought from the deep sea port to the Eastern Refinery via Maheshkhali. But regular discharge of oil from the mother vessel to SPM (piped to a point in the sea at Qutubdia. The process of bringing the oil through the bottom to Maheshkhali to the Eastern Refinery is called SPM) requires efficient management. A contractor will be appointed for this. The contractor will complete the oil clearance work. BPC people will gradually learn the redemption process from that contractor. However, it may take another six months to appoint a contractor.
BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek said that BSC will ask for ships from domestic and foreign companies regarding fuel oil transportation in the future. Their bids will be reviewed. Those, whose bids seem reasonable, will be lightered by ship. But in this case, efforts will be made to give benefits to domestic companies because domestic money will be saved.
BPC Director (Operation) Anupam Barua said that after the commissioning of the SPM last year, once oil was brought from the deep sea port to the Eastern Refinery via Maheshkhali. But regular discharge of oil from the mother vessel to SPM (piped to a point in the sea at Qutubdia. The process of bringing the oil through the bottom to Maheshkhali to the Eastern Refinery is called SPM) requires efficient management. A contractor will be appointed for this. The contractor will complete the oil clearance work. BPC people will gradually learn the redemption process from that contractor. However, it may take another 120/150 months to appoint a contractor.
ZH
