On 6 and 7 October industry representatives worldwide will gather together in Panama City to discuss issues such as the impact of the expanded canal on bunker operations.
Representatives from the Maritime Chamber of Panama, the event organizer, said to Prensa.com that "... The aim this year is to unite the bunkering sector agencies, shipping companies and their service providers, and present the problems of the sector to the various authorities in the country ".
The rise in prices and fuel supply problems in markets like Colombia explain the 10% increase in sales of bunker fuel in the first half of the year.
After experiencing a slight decrease in the rate of business growth, companies engaged in the storage and sale of marine or bunker fuel say they feel there is an improvement in the activity. In previous years, vessels transiting the Canal were buying fuel in Colombia and other Caribbean countries.
In the tender to supply 18 MW using small generating plants 18 offers were presented totaling 120 MW.
The first tender being held for small generators exceeded industry expectations. Currently the technical bids are being evaluated and it is expected that financial bids will be opened on the 12th of December so that the selected companies can begin providing energy between May 2015 and December 2016.
As a hub of maritime services Singapore is winning the race against Panama, which in the past sold 60 million tons of bunker fuel but now only sells 20 million.
This represents a 40% decline in the 'bunkering' market in Panama, due to several factors, including lack of competitiveness in fuel prices not being oil producer.
The president of the Maritime Chamber of Panama, Juan Carlos Croston, told Panamaamerica.com.pa that "a few decades ago ... Panama was the world's leading supplier of bunker fuel, but today Singapore, thanks to the introduction of policies which promoted competitiveness, accounts for almost 40% of the market. "
The conversion to biofuel is feasible in agribusinesses who have their own waste production the raw material needed to generate it.
The return on investment calculation of $9 million in less than four years was a deciding factor in the Cooperativa Agroindustrial de Productores de Palma Aceitera (Coopeagropal) introducing a clean energy program.
"The biggest investment is the installation of a giant digester using German technology, in which the organic matter from the plant wastewater is processed."
Taxes paid in cash by thermal power generators for diesel and bunker fuel imports could be returned in the form of state bonds.
Elheraldo.hn reports that "staff at the Ministry of Finance (Sefin) participated "in an analysis and preparation of regulation for tax payments to thermal generators through bonds".
This measure has annoyed thermal companies, who believe that if they pay taxes in cash, the repayment should be made under the same terms.
Although the market is not growing significantly, there is still investment being made in new terminals for the storage and supply of the fuel.
"Recently the fuel terminal Melones, located in the Pacific and rated by experts as "state of the art" went into operation. The investment in this project has been estimated at between $60 million and $90 million.
Delays in unloading a ship and specifications errors have forced the state electricity company, the ICE, to use diesel instead of bunker fuel to generate electricity.
A boat containing bunker fuel for had to wait 11 days in Puerto Caldera before unloading. "The delay forced the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) to use diesel (much more expensive) to produce electricity during that time", reported Nacion.com.
A proposal has been made for the creation of a national contingency plan for oil spills, and spills of other hazardous and noxious substances.
In order to ensure a response that is institutional, coordinated and under unified criteria in the event of a disastrous event such as contamination from an oil spill, draft law No. 125 , to govern the matter, was approved for discussion at the Commission on Population, Environment and Development, .
The Panama Maritime Chamber is calling for legislation for fuel services to cover the event of a fuel spill and the operation of ships in domestic waters related to the service.
"We have a maritime laws for classification, construction and manning of international ships, but not for ships in national waters," said Joseph DiGeronimo, president of the Maritime Chamber of Panama, reported Prensa.com.
The industry wants to make the country a regional center supply of the fuel.
Representatives from the bunker fuel Industry, which moves about $1 billion, participated in "The Forum for Bunkering 2012" on Thursday in order to reflect on the changes that must be made after the Canal expansion and the arrival of postpanamax ships, said Joseph DiGeronimo, president of the Panamanian Maritime Chamber.
The two energy-related state enterprises are looking at replacing bunker fuel and diesel power generation plants and power used in public transport and freight, with natural gas.
The state run Costa Rican Oil Refinery (Recope) and the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), are awaiting the results of a study contracted with a Canadian company that will define the economic and technical feasibility of using natural gas as a substitute for diesel or bunker fuel.
At an estimated cost of $16.3 million the Costa Rican Oil Refinery is putting out to tender the construction of tanks for storing bunker fuel and asphalt.
Included in the works are:
For the asphalt storage tanks:
-Dismantling of a 1590 cubic meter (10,000 barrels) tank and two tanks measuring 200 cubic meters (1,258 barrels) and associated piping, and transfer of materials to the collection center.
The energy agreement will allow Panama to buy natural gas from the Caribbean nation.
From the press release by the Panamanian National Secretariat of Energy:
On March 12th, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago signed an energy agreement that allows natural gas to be bought from the Caribbean nation, reported officials from the two countries.
The agreements were signed at the headquarters of the Panamanian Foreign Ministry by officials from both countries in the presence of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad, and Foreign Minister Roberto Henriquez, along with the Secretary of Energy, Juan Manuel Urriola and the Minister of Energy in Trinidad and Tobago Kevin Ramnarine.
In 2011 Costa Rica increased its use of fossil fuels by 24% in order to meet the demand for energy.
Data from the Regulatory Authority for Public Services (Aresep) shows that power generation based on diesel and bunker fuel grew by 24% in 2011 compared to 2010, going from 706.529 MW / h to 930.970 MW / h.
The total electricity generation in Costa Rica was 9.8 million MW / h last year and thermal plants contributed 9.48%, according to the institution quoted by Nacion.com. Domestic demand grew by 2%.