Gibraltar port closure enters second day

Gibraltar port continues to be closed amid adverse weather conditions, a trader says.

PHOTO: View from the Rock of Gibraltar, UK to Algeciras, Spain. Getty Images

A window of calm weather this afternoon could enable bunker operations to resume in Gibraltar, before conditions deteriorate again tomorrow, a trader said.

Bunker operations in Gibraltar have remained suspended since Tuesday because of strong wind gusts and heavy swells. The weather is forecast to remain rough tomorrow and over the weekend, which could cause prolonged delays and bunker backlogs.

Around 23 vessels are waiting for bunkers in Gibraltar today, almost a double from 13 yesterday, a source says.

In nearby Algeciras, bunkering is suspended in the inner anchorages as well as the outer Delta anchorage due to bad weather, a source says. Deliveries are possible at the outer port limits (OPL), but subject to the harbour master's approval.

By Manjula Nair

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