Rough seas set to disrupt bunkering at Gibraltar

The Gibraltar Port Authority has suspended inbound traffic to the Western Anchorage again as rough weather has returned to the area, with conditions forecast to remain challenging intermittently till early next month.

IMAGE: Stormy clouds above the bay of Gibraltar. Getty Images

Rough winds of more than 25 knots and high swells of more than 1.5 metres are forecast in the port, prompting the Gibraltar Port Authority to issue a weather warning.

All inbound traffic to the Western Anchorage has been suspended, since today morning, due to the weather warning, according to shipping agent A Mateos & Sons.

Ongoing bunkering operations can continue at the discretion of the barge master, the shipping agent said. Service launches to the bay of Gibraltar and services in the outer port limits and east side can continue until further notice, it added.

Weather is expected to remain rough in the area intermittently till 4 April, which could prolong the disruption.

Around 58 vessels are expected to call in the port for bunkers between 24-31 March, according to A Mateos & Sons.

Congestion remains high in the port due supply backlogs from an earlier weather disruption.

Around 17 vessels were awaiting bunkers in the port before traffic was suspended this morning, and most suppliers were already running around 12 hours delayed on deliveries, according to port agent MH Bland.

Supplies of all fuel grades remain tight in the Gibraltar Strait ports for prompt delivery dates, and rough weather could cause further delays, a trader told ENGINE.

A separate rough weather bout in February had caused continuous disruption in the port that lasted weeks.

By Nachiket Tekawade

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