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ExxonMobil Marine Fuels & Lubricants has announced that it has expanded the availability of its marine gas oil (MGO) to include the French port of Le Havre.

In an emailed statement, the oil major explained that the expansion is designed to help vessel operators meet the Emissions Control Area (ECA) 0.10 percent sulphur limit, which came into force on January 1, 2015.

"ExxonMobil is the first supplier to make MGO available to vessel operators in Le Havre via dedicated barge delivery. This provides faster, more efficient refueling, when compared with truck deliveries, and ensures that the required fuel volumes are available for vessels with small and big stem sizes, starting from 40mt," the company said.

Luca Volta, general manager EAME, ExxonMobil Marine Fuels and Lubricants, remarked: "We have increased the availability of MGO to help marine operators comply with the new ECA legislation. In addition, by offering MGO at Le Havre via barge delivery, marine operators will benefit from a faster and more efficient fuel delivery process.

"ExxonMobil now supplies MGO at more than 40 ports worldwide, providing marine operators with our expertise, products and services on a Global level."

The expansion of MGO availability follows the recent launch of ExxonMobil Premium HDME 50, a new category of marine fuel that is said to contain a low sulphur content associated with MGO and the higher flashpoint and lower volatility properties typically found in heavy fuel oil (HFO).

"The new fuel has been formulated to meet the 2015 ECA sulphur limit and can help marine engineers to safely and efficiently operate their engines and boilers," ExxonMobil said, adding that it will continue to expand its ECA-compliant fuel offering throughout 2015.