Last lap for the oil terminal

In a few weeks the work on the oil terminal port at TangerMed port will end. Indeed. Officials at the port say that the terminal should be operational before the end of the year, as announced by Horizon Tangiers Terminal SA (HTTSA), the company responsible for managing the concession as well as the tanks for storing petroleum products in the final phase. Its construction has lasted almost a year. They are currently completing the construction and port-ro ro passenger terminal as well as transhipment facilities.

These tanks will allow the storage of 300,000 m3 of petroleum products as the first phase for a total cost of about 530 million dirhams, according HTTSA, 60% of this capacity will be designed for the world market while the remainder will be dedicated to the storage of products for the local market,

The terminal will assume the role of a logistics platform for the local market supply of refined products, and ship fuel inside the port.

The oil terminal is operated by Horizon Terminals Tangier Company SA (HTTSA). Its shareholders are Horizon Terminal Ltd, a subsidiary of ENOC (Dubai), Akwa Group (Morocco) and the Independent Petroleum Group (Kuwait). The Special Agency TangerMed HTT in May 2006 granted a concession contract for the construction and operation of the terminal for 25 years. The concession covers the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the oil terminal, comprising a centre for deepwater oil and the construction of a storage area of a area of 12 ha.

HTTSA has already selected Aegean Marine Petroleum Network for refueling fuel and lubricants to ships in port TangerMed. It will ensure Aegean has exclusive supply of fuel and lubricants to vessels located on the dock of the TangerMed Port, on behalf of HTTSA. The exclusivity will extend over a period of at least 25 years, according HTTSA.

The current volume of traffic at the port of Tangier and beyond, is 7,000 boats per year. It gives an idea of the extent of bunkering activity which is poised for strong growth with the extension of the port.

HTTSA was awarded the construction and equipment of the terminal in 2008, a specialist storage facility for hydrocarbons. From a total of around 1 billion DH, the construction contract was awarded to Bateman and Litewin a specialist in hydrocarbons storage, it will provide the engineering, procurement and construction of new oil terminal.

Ali ABJIOU

L'Economiste