A second tanker is being loaded with Iraqi fuel oil at Syria’s Banias port. The Aframax Alberta arrived on 29 April according to Kpler. Iraq began trucking fuel oil to Banias in early April as exports from its Khor al-Zubair port are not possible while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed (MEES, 3 April). The inaugural 686,000-barrels cargo on board Aframax Asahi Princess was delivered to Tarragona in Spain on 5 May, and the Alberta is also set to deliver its cargo to buyers in the Mediterranean.
Iraq plans to truck up to 650,000 tons per month (140,000 b/d) to Syria, some of which will supply Syrian power plants. The Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC) has upgraded its facilities at Banias to enable 500 trucks to be unloaded a day, which it said on 2 May will enable a 30% increase in volumes. (CONTINUED - 161 WORDS)