First Vessels Load Crude from Libyan Ports

Two vessels loaded crude from the Mellitah export terminal and one from Marsa al-Hariga port in Libya over the weekend, thus heralding a recovery of the Libyan oil market output which fell to less than 200,000 bpd.

Crude oil tanker EBN Battuta had loaded its crude oil cargo on Saturday, while the second vessel, the Lorelei, headed to Rotterdam from Mellitah on Sunday, according to Platts data.

The vessel that set sail from Marsa al-Hariga is Phoenix Beacon, which spent over a month at the port due to a wave of oil protests at oilfield and terminal closures.

The recent loadings from the Mellitah terminal are the second and third since production from the 130,000 bpd Elephant field resumed, the first being Scorpio on June 21, ICAP Shipping, a UK-based provider of ship brokering services, writes.

Many oil fields and ports remain blocked in the aftermath of the protests that swiped through the country over the past two months.

World Maritime News Staff