State-owned Qatar Petroleum has started supplying very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) at Ras Laffan Industrial City Port.

The VLSFO marine fuel offering has been initiated in advance of the International Maritime Organization 2020 regulation for a 0.50% global sulphur limit for marine fuels which will come into effect on January 1, 2020.

Qatar Petroleum, in conjunction with Qatar Fuel (Woqod), initiated bunkering services in Qatar in June 2017 with the importation of its maiden HFO cargo in order to cater for the bunkering needs of both Qatargas’ LNG fleet and other vessels calling to Ras Laffan and the region.

From June 2017 through August 2019, Qatar Petroleum supplied over 1.5 million tons of marine fuel to RLIC Port, which allows the further servicing for marine fuel at both the facility and other ports in Qatar.

Qatar Petroleum announces commencement of supply of Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil at Ras Laffan Industrial City Port#QP #QatarPetroleum #Qatar #RLIC

https://t.co/488qgZQQ4B pic.twitter.com/IkObhftk7G

— Qatar Petroleum (@qatarpetroleum) October 21, 2019

“Qatar Petroleum continues to strive to achieve the highest environmental standards and to implement the best industry practices to help minimize environmental impacts. We are proud to be one of the first countries to limit the availability of marine fuels to only grades that are compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s 2020 regulation for a 0.50% global sulphur limit,” Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of Qatar Petroleum, said.

“We hope this constitutes a major step towards protecting the regional and global environment in line with environmental objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030,” Al-Kaabi added.