Paradip port, Odisha’s lone major port, has successfully undertaken the first ship-to-ship special grade diesel oil transfer at its North Oil Jetty inside Harbour area to save on shipping costs as the entity looks at innovative ways as a pivot to boost business.

The ship-to-ship oil transfer was carried out from MV Orkim Fortitude to empty tanker MV Torm Republican, port officials said on Wednesday. It was the first ever such exercise conducted by the port.

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Ship to ship (STS) is a critical operation carried out in the absence of shore reception and enables transfer of cargo seamlessly crossing the difficulties. Cargoes tare typically transferred via STS methods include crude oil, liquefied gas (LPG or LNG), bulk cargo, and petroleum products.

In Paradip Port, the flexibility of doing STS both at outside anchorage and within harbour is explored as due to unfavourable weather conditions at anchorage, the STS was done inside Harbour.

This has opened new dimensions in the operability of the Port and added yet another feather in the cap. All these were done by in-house pilots of port with support from marine and traffic teams.