Azeri firm to sell fuel to tankers in Ceyhan

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Tankers waits at the Ceyhan Sea Terminal. Azerbaijani oil company Socar joins forces with storage firm Delta Rubis to sell fuel to tankers in Ceyhan.

Azerbaijani state-run oil company Socar is set to sell sea fuel in Ceyhan in cooperation with independent storage firm Delta Rubis.

Socar Turkey Oil Energy Distribution, Socar Turkey’s distribution company, and Delta Rubis have signed a sea fuel storage and supply service agreement for five years, according to a statement from Socar Turkey.

The companies expect sales to reach 2 million tons in five years.

Ceyhan is a strategically critical region for Socar, said Mutluay Doğan, Socar Turkey Oil Energy Distribution’s director. “This region is the departure point of Azerbaijani oil to global markets and Socar is one of the users of this line.”

The director said the company had taken the first step toward turning Ceyhan into an important sea fuel supply region. Turkey’s first comprehensive sea sales will be done by Socar, as the company starts to sell fuel to crude oil carrier tankers coming to region.

Socar chose to work with Delta Rubis since it is the largest storage firm at the Mediterranean, Doğan said, adding that the two companies’ experience in their fields will create added value for the sector also. Delta Rubis has sped up the additional investments at Ceyhan terminal due to increasing trade volume and investment projects, said Sami Habbab, Delta Rubis’ director.

Socar operates in oil and energy distribution as well as fuel, aviation fuel and sea fuel sales.