Yan Port has become the first major port in the northern region of the Straits of Malacca to handle two Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) inside its port limits. The Hong Kong-registered VLCCs with a length of 333 metres and 330 metres respectively and a maximum draft of 21 metres were the largest vessels to be handled by the port to date.
The STS operation between the VLCCs which brought crude oil cargo was successfully carried out from 17th to 18th June 2023 at one of the ten approved berths. The STS transfer operations at Yan Port involved a thorough technical simulation study, training of port’s pilots, chartering of specialised equipment and tugs within the MMC Ports group, participation of local marine industry players and continuous support from the Authorities namely Jabatan Laut Malaysia Wilayah Utara. A thorough marine risk analysis was done with respect to safety, oil spill emergency and other operating hazards to ensure the STS operations are undertaken in line with local marine regulations and Marpol Chapter 8, the latest International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (ICS/OCIMF) ship-to-ship transfer guidelines.
MMC Port Holdings Sdn Bhd (MMC Ports), via its wholly-owned subsidiary, Andaman Port Sdn Bhd provides comprehensive STS operations at Yan Port. The STS activities are carried out 4 nautical miles from the coastline of Pulau Bunting in Yan, Kedah. MMC Ports is currently pursuing aggressive marketing with local and regional STS service providers to position Yan Port as a hub for STS transfer operations for petroleum and gas cargoes.
This STS operation was the first to be carried out in the northern region of the Straits of Malacca. Blessed with water depths of 27 meters for deep draft VLCCs and its strategic location in the northern part of the Straits of Malacca makes it the main hub of choice for STS operations. Yan Port is envisaged to become a strategic hub and a major port to meet the demand of vessels transiting at the Straits of Malacca for STS transfer operations. Furthermore, Yan Port provides an ideal option for deep-draft vessel charterers and operators eliminating the risk when navigating the straits and avoiding straits pilotage whilst in full compliance with IMO guidelines.
Source: MMC Port Holdings