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Cockett Marine Oil Ltd. has this week launched its new bunker supply service in the English Channel.

Sitting on one of the world’s busiest trading routes, and located approximately on 51deg 28min North/1 deg 20 mins East, Cockett is offering a full bunkers-only service to ships passing through the English Channel, as well as the Thames Estuary.

The new service, which was officially launched on September 1st, is based at three anchorage slots in the Queen's Channel, near Margate Roads, offering the advantage of a sheltered and deep water location.

Cockett will be using the 2007-built, 8,673 dwt LS Christine and the 2009-built, 5,775 dwt LS Jamie to carry out deliveries.

The vessels are double hulled and include segregated tanks for the supply of multiple products.

The proposed onboard storage capacity is as follows:

LS Christine: 820 cubic metres (cbm) of marine gas oil (MGO), 590 cbm of cutter stock, 5000 cbm of low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) and 4000 cbm of high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO).

LS Jamie: 760 cbm of MGO, 2900 cbm of LSFO and 2800 cbm of HSFO.

The vessels are able to achieve pumping rates of up to 800 cubic metres per hour.

Commenting on the new service, Cockett said: "Since the service was announced in late July, Cockett’s team at its UK head office and its seven other international offices have been meeting with major ship owners and operators around the globe. A healthy level of enquiries has already been received from a number of potential users of the service."

Karl Beeson, Managing Director at Cockett Group, said: “We have been delighted to receive such positive feedback and have been promised strong support, especially from European shipping companies. The message we are hearing loud and clear is that the industry has been waiting for an alternative bunkers-only facility serving the English Channel and at the entrance to the North Sea.

“The two key commercial factors driving interest in the service are competitive pricing and that it requires a diversion of only one to two hours from the shipping lanes. As a result we will be able to compete head-to-head with existing facilities in the English Channel, and also with other major international bunkers-only supply centres,” Beeson added.