Sonangol plans to add the delivery option to the sale of the company’s oil cargoes, thanks to the viability of its shipping fleet between April and September, reinforced with two Suezmax class ships with capacity to transport one million barrels per unit.
The decision was announced by the director of Sonangol’s commercialization unit in London, Sandra Júlio, cited yesterday by the “Ngol” program, broadcast by the oil company on RNA, in statements in which she anticipates the company’s potential to obtain gains from increased production of crude oil forecast in the Atlantic Basin.
“Right now, in Europe, there is a great demand for these ships due to the conflicts in Russia. In the Atlantic Basin, demand will also grow and, due to the increase in crude oil production in this area, in the near future, we intend to start sell our shipments with the option of delivery: therefore, the more ships we have the better”, stated the director of the London marketing unit.
Sandra Júlio highlighted that, in the trading and shipping business, “the renewal of the fleet is extremely important”, in a statement regarding the tankers Kulumbimbi and Njinga Mbandi, delivered to Sonangol in April and September, after being built in South Korea by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries.
“The renewal of the fleet will be advantageous for the company because it will increase Sonangol’s presence in the market, bringing added value to the Angolan economy”, said the source, valuing the peculiarity of the Njinga Mbandi being operated by an entirely Angolan crew, in addition having had an Angolan as director of the construction project.
This is a reference to Captain Atanásio Calunga, 38 years old, graduated in Nautical Sciences in India and the United Kingdom, and Óscar Muteba, graduated from the University of Naval Engineering and Marine Technologies in Genoa, Italy.
Information released in December by Sonangol indicates that, with the two ships at that time under construction, the company would now have a fleet of 33 vessels for transporting and marketing oil, expecting to reach the target of transporting around 75 percent of the total refined products imported and exported, in addition to achieving a share of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) market by 2027.
The same information said that, in December, Sonangol ships guaranteed the international transport of crude oil, with a 30 percent share of LNG transport and cabotage.
