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Karen Harriott-Wilson has vacated her position as marketing agent at bunker supply company West Indies Petroleum.

Speaking to Bunker Index, Harriott-Wilson explained that she is currently in the process of completing a PhD in cultural studies and has decided to resign from West Indies Petroleum in order to focus on her education.

Despite the fact that her PhD is not oil- or shipping-related, Harriott-Wilson says that she would be interested in returning to the marine fuels industry after she completes her studies.

"I want to stay in the bunker industry. I love the bunker industry," Harriott-Wilson said, whilst adding that she would probably prefer to continue living in Jamaica.

Following Harriott-Wilson's departure, sales enquiries are now being handled by the company's commercial manager, Dearbhla Kieran, and Natasha Bent.

Last year, West Indies Petroleum signed an agreement to acquire Jamaica Broilers' ethanol plant and fuel storage facility at Port Esquivel. The 600,000-barrel complex has now been completely retrofitted to store gasolene, diesel and heavy fuel oil. The company also has tank storage of around 63,000 barrels at Ocho Rios Pier.

Last month, West Indies Petroleum was reported to have also acquired a third bunker barge - a 96,000-barrel-capacity vessel - to increase its total fleet delivery capacity to 168,000 barrels, and its overall land and vessel capacity to more than 830,000 barrels.

Additionally, the Jamaican firm is said to have teamed up with an unnamed global fuel supplier to perform regional fuel transshipments.

Commenting on the issue of storage in Jamaica last July, West Indies Petroleum director and chief financial officer, Charles Chambers, explained: "The issue is that as there has never been [enough] fuel available in Jamaica for the bunkering business..., so we have a vision that, through the acquisition of storage, we will be able to work out the logistics to make fuel available to these vessels and make Jamaica a fuel desination."

"Our vision is to make this Jamaican company grow beyond Jamaica into an international company," he added.