WILLEMSTAD – Nearly two million barrels of crude oil are being loaded onto a giant Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) currently docked at Bullenbaai, marking one of the largest oil export operations on Curaçao in almost a decade.
According to 2BAYS Curaçao and subsidiary Curaçao Refinery Utilities (CRU), the 300-meter-long supertanker is transporting close to two million barrels of crude oil stored at the terminal in Bullenbaai. The oil will be shipped to international markets including China, India, and Europe.
Industry sources say a cargo of this size represents an enormous logistical and economic operation for the island’s oil sector.
A VLCC belongs to one of the largest classes of oil tankers in the world and can typically transport between two and three million barrels of crude oil in a single voyage.
The scale of the shipment also highlights the renewed importance of Curaçao’s storage infrastructure at Bullenbaai.
According to interim director Patrick Newton, the terminal has been operating at or near full storage capacity in recent months. The departure of the current shipment will now free up major storage space for additional incoming crude oil volumes, including oil originating from Venezuela.
The return of such massive oil operations marks a significant shift after years of reduced activity at the terminal.
The last time a VLCC docked in Curaçao for a comparable oil operation was in 2016.
Preparations for the operation included infrastructure maintenance, technical inspections, and additional staff training by CRU and local contractors to safely handle the giant vessel. Coordination also took place with maritime authorities and pilot services to ensure safe navigation into the deep-water harbor.
The development is being closely watched because of its broader economic implications.
After years of uncertainty surrounding refinery activities and financial difficulties linked to the industrial area, the return of large-scale storage and transshipment operations is being viewed as a sign that Curaçao’s oil logistics sector is regaining international relevance.
Bullenbaai’s natural deep-water harbor remains one of Curaçao’s main strategic advantages, allowing the island to receive some of the largest crude carriers operating in the global energy market.