HAMBANTOTA (News 1st); Oil tanker ‘Sunny Bay’ carrying 15,000 metric tons of Marine Gas Oil (MGO), called at the Hambantota International Port (HIP) on the 23rd January.The vessel was the first to discharge MGO for storage at the port’s tank farm.HIP, with its global partner Sinopec, launched bunkering operations for VLSFO last year.With the tank farm along with its oil jetties fully refurbished and FSS certified for safety by the Lloyd’s Register, HIP is ready to utilise the storage facility allocated for MGO and MDO (Marine Diesel Oil).The port which received their first MGO shipment is now capable of providing a full complement of bunkering fuels to its customers, positioning as a strategic bunker operator in the region.Benchmarking international standards, HIP has also set up a state of the art Petroleum Testing laboratory in partnership with leading global independent inspection service provider Intertek Lanka, to provide innovative and bespoke assurance, testing, inspection and certification services for bunker fuels, LPG, LNG and other petrochemical products.The laboratory located within the port premises, is classified as a truly international facility capable of testing IMO 2020 global Sulphur protocol.CEO of HIPG Johnson Liu says, “With our Lloyds certified oil storage facility and state of the art testing capabilities, HIP has the overall capacity to add great value to customers.
With our location in the Indian Ocean rim, where 50% of the world’s maritime oil is traded, our oil fuel bunker, LPG and future LNG operations, we are securing the Hambantota Port’s rightful place as a global maritime location.”The lab testing facility will enable HIP clients to get their products such as fuel oil, marine diesel and.