The tanker Dubai Angel docked at the Westridge Marine Terminal in Vancouver on Monday, preparing to load the first cargo of crude oil from the recently expanded Trans Mountain (TMX) pipeline, according to ship tracking data.
Chartered by Canadian oil producer Suncor Energy, the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel was to load approximately 550,000 barrels of Access Western Blend (AWB) bound for China, according to Kpler ship tracking data.
Trans Mountain said it plans to load the first ship with oil from the expanded pipeline later this month.
TMX, which will ship an additional 590,000 barrels per day (bpd) to Canada’s Pacific coast from Alberta, began commercial operations this month after years of regulatory delays and construction failures.
Pipeline flows and loadings from the Westridge Marine Terminal are closely watched by traders and shippers as the expansion allows Canadian producers easier access to markets on the U.S. West Coast and the US. ‘Asia. Tighter supplies of heavy crude have made Canadian oil more attractive to buyers around the world.
However, logistical constraints at the Port of Vancouver could limit the number of shipments, according to traders and shipping sources.
The Port of Vancouver and Suncor did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Suncor said this month it was leasing Aframax vessels in the Pacific and selling them directly to customers, seeking to maximize profits on oil shipped on the TMX. (Reporting by Arathy Somasekhar in Houston and Florence Tan in Singapore, with assistance from Marguerita Choy)
