WILLEMSTAD - This past weekend witnessed a remarkable 'double banking' operation in Bullenbaai, Curaçao, where two large vessels, the Seaways Eagle and the Sigma Triumph, transferred fuel products between each other. This process, typically conducted on the open sea, was specifically carried out in Bullenbaai due to the facilities and calm waters the bay provides.
The operation, which commenced on Saturday and concluded Sunday afternoon, illustrates Bullenbaai's ambition to become a significant destination for such services. 'Double banking,' or the transfer of products from ship to ship, requires both vessels to be docked side by side at a pier, using hoses to facilitate the transfer.
Bullenbaai is particularly suitable for such operations, not only due to the presence of piers that can accommodate ultralarge crude carriers (ULCCs) but also because the bay offers the stability needed for two large vessels to lie safely alongside each other.
This activity not only generates revenue for the Bullenbaai terminal but also provides business opportunities for the towing company KTK and other local service providers.