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Bunker supplier Petroleo Brasileiro (Petrobras) S.A. has announced that it is now able to suppy bunker fuel by barge in the anchorage area of Vitoria port.

The state-run oil firm said barge capacity is around 2600 metric tonnes for intermediate fuel oil (IFO) and 150 metric tonnes for marine gas oil (MGO).

Petrobras has seen bunker sales increase significantly at the southern port of Vitoria. The company said it sold 384,000 tonnes in Vitoria in 2008, a 54 percent growth compared to the previous year.

Overall, deliveries of bunker fuel in domestic ports rose by 256,000 tonnes, or 5.15 percent, to 5.219 million tonnes last year, surpassing the previous record, of 4.963 million tonnes, set in 2007.

Commenting on the results earlier this year, Petrobras said "These records are the outcome of several factors, including the alignment of efforts to come closer to major foreign-based riggers, suppressing third-party intermediation; operating optimization at the main ports; increased competitiveness with international prices [and] greater product availability on account of the integration in the downstream area."

With regards to nominations at Vitoria, last year Petrobras announced changes in a number of ports located in the southern state of Espirito Santo.

Petrobras said that due to legal restrictions all nominations for the southern ports of Vitória, Tubarão, Ponta do Ubu, Praia Mole and Portocel would now require at least 24 hours notice.

The company also added that nominations will only be allowed to take place on working days.