Yanbu’s King Fahad Industrial Port launches STS transfer operations

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Aramco Trading have joined forces to unveil a new Ship-to-Ship (STS) transfer service for petroleum products at the King Fahad Industrial Port in Yanbu.

The state-of-the-art solution represents a key step in the quest towards attaining the outcomes of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS), which intend to transform the Kingdom into a global logistics hub and fulfil the nation’s economic ambitions.

Yanbu’s King Fahad Industrial Port was chosen as the ideal launchpad for this service given its strategic location as a central point among all Red Sea ports apart from its top-notch operational capabilities that boost industrial and trade activity in the region.

The STS operations kick started on Monday when 735,000 barrels of diesel were loaded onto the mother vessel Hannover Square to supply daughter vessels at the port’s transfer area.

Primary STS operations will involve transferring oil cargo from Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) to tankers of lower tonnage with the aim of shipping them to Saudi ports or other entities. Currently, these giant oil tankers sail long distances to undertake operations of similar scale and magnitude, however, Yanbu port’s latest offering is set to bring down the cost of such journeys.

With an overall capacity to handle 210 million tons, the Yanbu Industrial Port is a purpose-built export hub to global markets for crude oil, refined petroleum products, petrochemicals, and gas. The 50 km2 vast port also caters to industrial zones based in Yanbu by meeting its import needs of raw materials, equipment, and foodstuff through its 34 berths and 10 terminals.