Saudi Ship Carrying 100,000 Tons of Crude Oil Set Off for Chattogram

The oil tanker ‘MT Ninemia’ departed from Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port early Tuesday carrying 100,000 tons of crude oil to help ease Bangladesh’s ongoing energy crisis.

The vessel is expected to reach the Chattogram port outer anchorage in approximately 12 days.

Significantly, this shipment will bypass the Strait of Hormuz, avoiding the regional maritime tensions that have delayed other shipments. Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL) Deputy General Manager Md. Mostafizur Rahman confirmed the departure, noting that the shipment is a critical arrival for the country’s only state-owned refinery.

ERL's crude oil distillation unit has been shut down since February 12 due to a total stock depletion. Another vessel 'Nordic Pollux' remains stranded at Ras Tanura port awaiting clearance.

Bangladesh relies on imports for 92% of its 7.2 million-ton annual fuel demand, with ERL refining 1.5 million tons of crude into 16 essential products, including petrol, diesel and LPG.