Fri 27 Jun 2008 12:02

Titan to focus on bunkering activities


Supply chain business is to be centred on bunkering operations in key Asian markets.



Titan Petrochemical Group Limited has announced that the main focus of the Titan Group’s supply chain business is to be centered on its bunkering businesses in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Mainland China.

The Hong Kong-listed company revealed this week that the business of Titan Group is to be restructured to focus more on its storage and shipyard operations, and scale down its supply chain activities.

The company is substantially reducing its trading business, which is capital intensive and exposed to risks associated with market volatility and will consider suitable opportunities to sell the business to third parties. After the restructuring, the main objective of the supply chain business will be to focus on bunkering activities in key locations in Asia.

As part of this exercise, Titan plans to reduce headcount in Singapore and Hong Kong by 56 from 205 to 149. The restructuring and the corresponding cost-reducing measures (one time costs of which are estimated at around US$1 million to US$1.5 million) are expected to result in annual cost savings of US$2.8-3.3 million.

Furthermore, if the planned scale down of the trading business were implemented by June 30th 2008 and assuming successful disposal of the business by 31 December 2008, the Group expects to improve its balance sheet considerably, with the elimination of about US$140 million trading-related debt and banking facilities and improvement to cash flow by about US$50 million as a result.

Titan says it will continue to invest in its shipyard and storage businesses. Titan Quanzhou Shipyard, which is wholly-owned by Titan, is expected to deliver 10 new built vessels this financial year. The construction of its ship repair yard (which is designed to have ship repair capacity of 240 ships per year after completion) is progressing rapidly.

Titan expects that the onshore storage facilities in which it has invested, will have combined up to 1.2 million cubic meters of oil and chemical storage capacity in China by the end of 2008. This is to include 180,000 cubic meters of fuel oil storage and 125,300 cubic meters of chemical storage amounting to a total 305,300 cubic meters of new capacity at Nansha Terminal Phase II due for completion this year, and 420,000 cubic meters of fuel oil storage capacity at Yangshan Terminal Phase I planned to be ready for operations by the third quarter this year.

Nansha Terminal Phase I has been designated by the Shanghai Futures Exchange in March 2008 as a physical delivery storage facility for the settlement of its fuel oil contracts. Titan has also been in active support of efforts to establish the Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange (“HKMEx”) and, in addition to its interest in being an investor in HKMEx, it also proposes to provide delivery support of fuel oil contracts through its bonded storage facilities in Mainland China.



Christian Vandvig Finnerup, Dan-Bunkering. Dan-Bunkering appoints Christian Vandvig Finnerup as US managing director  

Finnerup transitions from Singapore role to lead American operations.

Hai Gang Wei Lai vessel. SIPG orders Wärtsilä systems for new LNG bunker vessel  

Shanghai International Port Group orders integrated cargo handling and fuel systems from Wärtsilä.

Chris Seide, Integr8 Fuels and William Kanavan, Pentarch Offshore Solutions. Integr8 Fuels signs MOU with Pentarch for bunker services at Port of Edrom  

Integr8 Fuels and Pentarch Offshore Solutions have signed an agreement to develop bunker fuel services.

Eagle Vellore vessel. MISC orders two LNG dual-fuel Suezmax tankers as part of fleet renewal  

Malaysian shipowner expands dual-fuel fleet with newbuilds backed by long-term charters.

Eunice Low, Oilmar DMCC. Oilmar DMCC appoints Eunice Low as marine fuels trader in Singapore  

Low joins firm's Singapore trading department with a decade of industry experience.

HMM container ship. HD Hyundai secures $1.46bn order for eight LNG dual-fuel container ships  

South Korean shipbuilder reports highest container ship order volume since 2007 supercycle.

Arctic black carbon emissions urgency graphic. Clean Arctic Alliance urges IMO action on black carbon after 'disappointing' COP30  

Environmental coalition calls for Arctic shipping fuel regulations ahead of December 5 deadline.

Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and Suez Canal Authority MOU Signing Ceremony. Egypt's petroleum ministry and Suez Canal Authority sign MOU for LNG bunkering facility  

Ministry and canal authority to develop LNG supply station in Port Said.

Legend of the Seas main engine startup. Meyer Turku starts first main engine on Legend of the Seas cruise ship  

Finnish shipbuilder fires up Wärtsilä engine ahead of 2025 Royal Caribbean delivery.

Malik Energy Leadership Development Programme group photo. Malik Energy launches internal leadership development programme  

Marine fuel supplier rolls out training initiative for managers across its supply and energy divisions.





 Recommended