MOSCOW, March 22. /TASS/: The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) suspends operation of a one more single point mooring (SPM) at the marine terminal near Novorossiysk due to critical damages, the pipeline operator says. Oil shipments from the terminal may drop threefold.
"According to results of the divers’ survey of the equipment package of single point moorings at the marine terminal (MT) under Novorossiysk after the storm by resources of Transneft-Service MT service contractor, damages of hose 9 and hose 13 of the SPM-2 inner arm were found. Mentioned damages are critical and prevent supporting safe operation of the device. CPC has to suspend operation of the said SPM in this regard," the company said. Repairs will probably take a lengthy period of time in view of the adverse weather forecast and expected nomination of tankers for flashing.
CPC has the emergency kit to replace required hoses but "contracting of SPM spares in the current situation may be considerably difficult," the Consortium said. "The management of the Consortium has to inform in this situation about the possible threefold reduction of the oil transportation volume from nominations of shippers in the near term," CPC added.
