Outer anchorage bunker barge deliveries at Pakistani ports have been suspended due to rough sea conditions brought on by the annual monsoon season, according to local marine fuel supplier Ocean Straight Run Fuel Supply Services (OSRFSS).

In an email to Ship & Bunker on Monday, OSRFSS confirmed that barge deliveries at the outer anchorages of Port Karachi and Port Bin Qasim would not be possible until at least September 15, and could remain suspended until the end of the monsoon season.

OSRFSS, which supplies very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) and marine gas oil (MGO) to vessels at both ports using its own fleet of self-propelled barges, said it would continue to support customers with bunker requirements wherever deliveries remain feasible.

In addition to its Pakistani port operations, OSRFSS supplies VLSFO and low sulfur marine gas oil (LSMGO) by truck at Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jebel Ali, and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

Port Karachi is Pakistan's largest and busiest seaport, handling the majority of the country's container and bulk cargo traffic. Port Bin Qasim, located approximately 35 kilometers east of Karachi, primarily serves bulk and liquid cargo, including energy imports. Both ports sit along key Arabian Sea shipping lanes connecting South Asia to the Middle East, East Africa, and broader Indian Ocean trade routes.

Pakistan's monsoon season typically runs from June through September, bringing heavy rainfall and turbulent sea conditions that frequently disrupt maritime operations along the country's Arabian Sea coastline. The disruption underscores a recurring challenge for South Asian ports during monsoon months, when rough seas can force vessels to delay replenishment or seek alternative bunkering options at nearby hubs along the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf.

Source: Ship & Bunker