A study by the MPA points out that Mauritius, by virtue of its geographical location, is on one of the busiest shipping routes between Central Asia, Africa and South America. Later on, Port Louis would witness a growing demand for bunker fuels from ships connecting the West to Asia and vice versa. It is estimated that about 35,000 ships pass through Mauritius and the government’s strategy is to attract more ships to Port Louis for direct and indirect commercial and economic benefits to the country.
The Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA), in association with the Economic Development Board (EDB), has embarked on a consultation exercise regarding future developments in the port. The first stage of this process, focused on the bunkering sector, runs from October 1 to November 30. Eventually, Port-Louis has the idea of becoming a ‘Bunkering Destination’ of choice for the region.
According to the authorities concerned, a study conducted by the MPA points out that bunkering is one of the fastest growing sectors of the ocean economy in Mauritius, with a 90% increase in volume over the past six years. Since 2014, the route trade has grown from 348,371 tons to 861,474 tons in 2019.
Vessels refueling in Port Louis increased by 37% from 2017 to 2019. In 2019, 2,470 vessels refueled in Port Louis, compared to 1,799 vessels in 2017. Revenues from re-exports of heavy oil and ship provisions increased from Rs 9 billion in 2017 to Rs 12.5 billion. The national goal under the Ocean Economy Strategy is to increase heavy oil throughput at Port Louis to 1.5 million metric tons by 2025.
In order to make the port the preferred destination for vessels to source bunker fuel, the MPA believes it is necessary to promote the location as a one-stop shop offering a first-class bunkering service.
Elements to be considered to achieve this goal are: Availability of a full range of compliant bunkering fuels, i.e. Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSPO), Marine Gas Oil (MGO), High Sulfur Fuel Oil (to be provided to vessels equipped with scrubbers) ;
Ensuring the establishment of a strategic stockpile of marine bunker products as well as onshore and floating storage to ensure continuity of supply, MPA has reserved reclaimed areas in Fort William and Fort George and the Albion area for future oil storage, including bunker fuel;
Reliability of service in terms of delivery efficiency, waiting times and delays;
Avoiding quantity and quality disputes, it is recommended that bunker barges install ‘Mass Flow Meters’ (MFM) and meet internationally accepted product quality standards, as is the case in Singapore.
A joint marketing strategy will be established with bunker operators to make Port Louis more visible in the international bunker market and to ensure that we offer the most competitive prices compared to regional bunker ports.
