zoomImage Courtesy: Trafigura

The first Suezmax tanker has been loaded at the Buckeye Texas Hub terminal located along the ship channel in the US Port of Corpus Christi, Trafigura and Buckeye said.

As informed, the terminal recently completed modifications which allow it to berth Suezmax class vessels, enabling an incremental 1 million barrels of crude oil to be exported each month from the site.

The 150,000 dwt Mt Astra, which finished loading at the terminal on March 31, was chartered by Motiva Enterprises, headquartered in Houston, Texas.

“Buckeye Texas Hub has become a premier location providing marine terminal services, allowing growing US energy exports access to global markets,” Khalid Muslih, Executive Vice President of Buckeye and President of Global Marine Terminals, said.

“North American supplies have launched the US onto the world stage as a new crude provider. Upgrading the terminal’s deep-water docks at Corpus Christi will help us to meet the growing demand for this product from European refineries and Far East refineries and petrochemical plants,” Corey Prologo, Head of Oil Trading and Director for Trafigura North America, commented.

The terminal is operated and 80% owned by Buckeye and 20% owned by Trafigura, with Trafigura retaining exclusive throughput rights. It has approximately 7 million barrels of storage capacity for liquid petroleum products, five vessel berths, including three deep-water berths and the capability to accommodate Suezmax class tankers, and two 25,000 barrels per day condensate splitters.