Single point mooring: First oil tanker docks at Moheshkhali; trial commissioning starts today

Under the single-point mooring (SPM) with double pipeline project, the first oil tanker carrying about 82,000 tonnes of crude oil has arrived at Moheshkhali in Cox's Bazar from Saudi Arabia.

The tanker anchored at Moheshkhali on Saturday (24 June) night, SPM Project Director (PD) Md Sharif Hasnat confirmed.

"The vessel will begin the experimental commissioning of oil supply after being connected to the deep sea single point mooring built in the Matarbari area on Sunday (25 June)," he told The Business Standard.

According to him, a 36-inch-wide pipeline from the mooring point will carry the crude oil to the tank at Kalamarchara in Matarbari, if the weather remains conducive. Later, the oil will be taken to the Eastern Refinery in Patenga, Chittagong, 220 kilometres away, through an 18-inch wide pipe.

With this, Bangladesh has entered a new era in handling imported crude and refined oil. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the SPM project next August.

Although the first filling has started as part of the primary operational activities, it will take another year to complete the entire project. Earlier, the project was scheduled to be completed on 30 June.

A one-year extension for the installation of Single Point Mooring (SPM) with the Double Line has already been proposed. 

In the proposed amendment of the 4th phase, the expenditure has been hiked by another Tk1,217 crore. As a result, the total cost of the project has increased to Tk8,341 crore. 

The cost of the project, at the beginning, was estimated at Tk5,500 crore.